Dreamscape
by Odji
Summary: Alois runs away from home and is attacked by demons, only to be saved by Grell. A sequence of events is set off as the red head befriends the Earl Trancy, but will the events that follow lead Grell to happiness or heartbreak? ClaudexGrell
1. Chapter 1

AN: This fic has been floppin' around in my head for quite a while now, and I've finally decided to put it into words. It will be a multi-chapter fic, and I'm estimating it at around ten chapters or so, though it could very well turn out to be longer. This fic will be a ClaudexGrell fic, and I can only hope to corrupt more people into liking this pairing ;)

There is no particular place in the anime where this all fits in, honestly, and it does not keep to the anime's plot at all. Just an FYI.

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Warnings for this chapter: Swearing, violence

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Dreamscape

Chapter One: Runaway

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"Oh, what a bore~!" Grell murmured as he walked through the outskirts of London.

It was late, nearly midnight, and the red head was just finishing his last reap of the day. The elderly woman whose soul he had been sent to collect died quietly in her sleep, dying at home of old age. Her life had been long and relatively uneventful, and it had nearly caused him to die of boredom to watch it. With the last reap of the night complete though, the bright eyed man happily made his way back into the town, eager to return home.

'This is the LAST time I take on of Ronald's shifts! I don't care if he had a date or not!' The red head thought to himself. Normally he would've turned down the request, but of course Ronald had pulled out the puppy-dog eyes as he pleaded and begged Grell to take his shift.

The red head had relented, of course. Ronald was too cute for his own good, and who was he to get in the way of blossoming young love? Besides, with luck he would be asking his darling subordinate to do the same someday.

The night was clear and peaceful, the town's people quietly resting inside their homes. The area was pleasant too, and reminded Grell of the far off dreams his heart longed to fulfill. Someday he too would own a small house in the country, red preferably, a handsome husband to dote on, and children if fate was kind enough. Of course, he would never be able to bear a child…

A piercing scream broke through the night air, and Grell jumped, startled by the sound.

Pulling out his to-die list, the reaper flipped the book open to the current date, searching though names and their time of death. 'There are no souls scheduled to die at this moment.' The reaper thought as he closed the book again, sliding it into his vest.

Another scream tore through the air, and Grell found his curiosity peaked. Forgetting his desired destination, the red head began to walk towards the source of the sound. The voice sounded young and terrified, and as the reaper entered the wooded area just off the roadway, he could hear hysterical sobs coming from the source.

A bit farther inside the tree line, the reaper found the person he had been looking for. A young boy, around thirteen or fourteen, with light blond hair streaked with blood and terrified blue eyes. Nearby, two dark haired men chased the boy, toying with him and laughing.

When Grell looked a bit closer though, the sight of glowing red eyes revealed the truth. The child was not being tormented by humans, but by demons. A man with long brown hair and a pure black suit took a swipe at the boy as he tried to escape, causing the child to fall to the ground as he narrowly avoided the strike.

"Claude! Please help me Claude!" The blond screamed between sobs.

Tears streamed down the boy's face as the pair circled him, and Grell knew he could stand aside no longer. Demons were only allowed to eat the soul of a human contracted to them. It was obvious that was not the case here, and as a reaper he was obligated to save the child from his cruel fate. After all, William would be very upset if the soul ledgers were thrown off come morning.

Pulling the cord to start his chainsaw scythe, the reaper burst forward and took both demons by surprise, the pair narrowly escaping as he swung his scythe at them. The boy stared at him with a shocked awe as Grell stood before him, and the reaper gave a slight smile before turning his attention to the demons.

"My, my~! What do we have here? Surely you both know that it just isn't proper for a demon to take a human's soul without a contract." Grell said as he wagged his finger scoldingly at the pair.

The man with long brown hair scowled, while his partner, a man with spiky black hair and a similar suit gave a light laugh, his glowing red eyes twinkling with amusement.

"What a surprise, eh Victor? I've never seen a reaper before, and he's so pretty too!" The raven haired demon said as he studied Grell intently, a devilish smile on his lips. "But you really should mind your own business, reaper. You're outnumbered."

Grell could hear shuffling behind him, thin arms wrapping themselves around his leg in a desperate attempt to keep him from leaving. The reaper ignored the awkward feeling in his chest as a sobbing face was pressed into his pant leg, wincing at the thought of the snot and tears he would have to clean from his clothing later.

"I say we eat him." The brown haired demon said suddenly, taking a few steps forward towards the red headed reaper and the child hiding behind him. "He's getting in our way after all, and I bet the soul of one of those elusive reaper's would probably taste pretty damn good. What do you think, Lucas?"

As the two demons nodded their heads in agreement, Grell turned his attention to the child clinging to his leg. Pulling the hands from his leg, the reaper turned to the pitiful looking child. Tears flowed out of fearful blue eyes as the boy looked at him helplessly.

"P-Please! Don't let them kill me! Kill them, please!" The child begged. "I'm an Earl! I-I can give you whatever you want, just save me!"

Grell rolled his eyes as the hysterical boy. This child could offer him nothing that he wanted, but he would save him none the less. It was his obligation, after all.

"Quiet down you brat, and go sit near the tree." Grell said as he pointed to a large oak tree behind the boy. "If you run I won't be able to protect you, so don't try anything stupid~!"

With that said, the reaper turned back to the pair of demon behind him. The pair had begun their approach, and Grell brought up his scythe, revving it threateningly.

"I hope you boys know how to show a lady a good time~! I'm dying for a fight to the death!" The red head said with a laugh, bursting forward and swinging at the pair for the second time that night.

Lucas leapt out of the way of the oncoming blade and into the treetops above, while the second demon dropped below the blade and landed a punch to the red head's abdomen. As his breath was forced out by the punch, the reaper brought his leg back and landed a quick kick to the side of the demon's skull, sending the man flying into the tree line.

A hand buried itself in Grell's long red hair from behind, catching him by surprise. Turning slightly, the smaller man watched as Victor gave a sadistic grin before yanking the red head backwards by his hair, throwing him to the ground roughly.

"You damned reapers, who do you think you are to tell a demon what to do? I won't waste my time contracting with a human! Why should I, when I can just tear their souls out of their bodies? Who wants to do all that damned work?" Victor snarled.

Grell gripped his scythe tightly and swung it backwards, catching the ranting demon off guard as the metal sliced into the demon's soft abdominal flesh. Blood poured out of the wound along with the demon's record, and another quick swipe put an end to the demon's life.

Out of nowhere, a strong kick to the jaw sent Grell's glasses askew and his vision was marred with black spots. The moonlit forest blurred together, and as the reaper went to fix his glasses a strong hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him into the air and away from his scythe.

"Such a bother. You should've left while you had the chance reaper." The brown haired man sneered as he lifted the red head's face to his own. "I was never very fond of Victor thankfully, but he did have a good plan. Yes, I'll devour you thoroughly, reaper."

As Lucas leaned forward with a devilish grin, Grell drew his leg back and kicked at the demon's gut as hard as he could, the other man's grip on his neck faltering enough to allow him to escape. Scrambling for his scythe, the red head snatched up his weapon and spun to face the angry demon behind him.

"A disgusting demon like you isn't worthy enough to devour me! What audacity, what nerve~!" Grell spat as he ran towards the demon, scythe held high.

Grell brought his heavy blade down hard, the demon narrowly avoiding it as he rolled out of the way and stumbled to his feet. Lucas spun and kicked out towards the red head, but the reaper was quicker, and caught the other man's leg before it could connect. With a sadistic grin, the reaper kicked his own leg out, connecting with the demon's lower back and bringing the man to his knees.

Red eyes filled with cold fury stared into Grell's own, and a moment later they were gone as the demon darted into the forest with a snarl.

"This isn't over, little reaper!" Lucas called behind him as he darted through the forest, disappearing from sight.

Panting heavily as he watched the demon retreat into the night, the reaper's attention was drawn behind him as the blond boy he had protected staggered to his feet. Blood dripped down the child's face from a large wound on his head, and his expensive outfit was marred with blood, dirt and tears. Grell sighed and began to approach the boy who appeared to be in a state of shock, his eyes wide and his breathing shaky.

"Well my dear, you're safe now~! I'll be going, so be sure to run home quickly!" The reaper said as he stopped in front of the child, giving a slight smile.

The smile morphed into a look of shock as the boy gave a fearful cry and threw himself at the reaper, arms securing themselves around Grell's thin waist. Arms lifted towards his chest as he stared at the grubby child clinging to him, the red head couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated. The brat was safe now, and was no longer his problem.

"Don't leave me! I-I'm lost, and C-C-Claude didn't come!" The boy sobbed into Grell's stomach, his words muffled slightly. "I'm afraid, and it's s-so dark! Please, don't l-leave!"

Grell stood awkwardly above the child, debating over shoving the child off and running or staying to comfort the youngster. With an exhausted sigh, the reaper pulled away from the child and sat down, leaning against a tree, laying his scythe on the ground. The upset child followed suit, wrapping his arms around himself as he sat trembling.

'The gash on his head is bleeding pretty badly.' Grell thought to himself as he brought a gloved hand up, moving to brush aside the boy's blond hair in order to see the wound better. To his surprise, his hand was struck away.

"Don't touch me!" The blond snarled, his eyes filled with malice and rage.

Grell could feel his own anger and impatience rising. The kid was clinging to him for comfort one minute, and then screaming at him the next! A furious look overcame the red head as he responded back to the child next to him.

"You've got some nerve, you little brat! I could be heading home right now you know, I've done my job! But instead I decided to help you, so the least you could do right now is show some damn respect!" Grell snapped back, his patience exhausted.

The boy looked surprised for a moment, his light blue eyes wide and shimmering with tears before he looked away, drawing his knees to his chest.

"I'm sorry." Came a soft reply.

Rolling his eyes, the red head reluctantly reached out again and brushed the boy's hair away from the bloody skin. The wound on his head was dirty and but superficial, and the reaper removed his hand a moment later.

"So, what's your name?" The child asked suddenly as he lifted his head from his knees. "It'd be nice to know so I can give you a proper 'Thank you.'"

"My name? Oh darling, I am the queen of queens, the lovely Grell Sutcliff, a reaper to DIE for!" The red head cried out dramatically, an arm outstretched before him and another clutched to his chest.

"A reaper?" The boy asked in wonder. "You mean like… a grim reaper?"

Grell gave a toothy grin, showing off his sharp teeth as he gave a wink and a nod. To his surprise, the child didn't seem fearful at all. The boy responded with a slight smile and held out a small hand for him to shake.

"Well, my name is Alois Trancy, earl of the Trancy household. Thank you for saving me, Mr. Sutcliff." Alois said before turning his gaze towards the forest in thought.

"Miss." Grell corrected.

The blond gave a questioning look, confused by the seemingly random statement. 'How irritating.' The red head thought to himself as he stared at the blond child. With a huff, he elaborated.

"It's Ms. Sutcliff, not mister!" The flamboyant man snapped, a small frown on his face. "If you're going to do a proper apology, you should do it right!"

"What in the bloody hell are you on about? From where I sit, you're a man!" Alois snapped back, seeming unamused with the correction.

Grell gritted his teeth, the red head did his best to keep his temper under control. The blond was pushing his buttons in all the wrong ways, and the reaper was horrible at holding his tongue, even around children. He had to admit though, the boy's fierce personality was much preferred to the broken and terrified side of the boy he had seen just moments before.

As Alois's tongue darted out to wet his chapped hips, the red head was greeted with a surprising sight. A demonic seal rested on the boy's pink tongue. 'That would explain quite a bit.' The reaper thought to himself. 'Those demon most likely saw the boy's tongue as well at some point, and knew that he was a soul worth feasting on for their kind.'

"I assume by the seal on your tongue that your demon is fluttering about somewhere? How lazy of him to leave _me _to defend his master than to come to your rescue himself!" Grell said bitterly, eyes darting around the darkness as though wary of an attack.

The blond startled slightly at the statement, then an angry look overcame his features. Grell was silently surprised how quickly the child's moods could change. His personality rivaled the red head's own quite a bit, and he was slightly impressed.

"Don't speak about Claude that way! It's not his fault!" Alois snapped. "I-I ran away earlier tonight. Even with the seal that connects us, I've gone so far that it will take him a bit to get here." The blond revealed in a softer voice, his anger dissipating to leave behind regret.

With a slight yawn, Grell turned his gaze to the stars. He really didn't mind sitting with the irritating whelp of a boy, at least, not since the child had aroused his interest. It was rare for a demon to contract with a child, and the reaper was sure that the boy must have had a tough life to corrupt him to this point.

"Why did you run away?" The red head asked as he stared at the twinkling stars through the tree branches.

"Claude is so… cold. I wanted to see if he would worry if I was gone." Replied the child as he lowered his legs, apparently feeling a bit more comfortable with the situation.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Alois wiped his face on his sleeve, the wet trails on his cheeks helping to remove a bit of the mud and grime that clung to the child. 'Cold? Yes, I've felt just as he's feeling so often during the past. Such cold men…' With a small, teasing smile the red head replied.

"Well, I bet he's worried now! Imagine the look on his face when that damned seal alerted him that you were in danger and he couldn't find you~!" The reaper giggled.

A small smile broke out across the blond's face, and he gave a light laugh.

"He's probably pretty mad, but he'll hide it well. But he's as trapped in my web as I am in his, so I'll toy with him as I like." The boy said with a slight smile that hinted to the more malicious side of him.

'A web? A spider demon, ack!' Grell thought with a wrinkle of his nose, a shiver trailing up his spine. He had never been fond of spiders, though he had never particularly feared them. The promise of a spider demon, however, gave him goosebumps as images of a giant mutated spider falling from the tree tops and onto his head came to mind.

Grell glanced around the trees warily.

"So, you're a grim reaper huh? What exactly do you do?" The blond asked suddenly, drawing the red head from his thoughts.

"Well~, it's the duty of the grim reaper to move though the world unseen and collect the souls of the dying. Our blades cut down to the soul and release the cinematic record, or the memories, of the dying. It's beautiful, really! We watch the records, and then we slice them with our blade, effectively killing the human. We collect the records and store them for judgment day~!" Grell explained eagerly.

His job, though full of paperwork, was something he enjoyed thoroughly. He enjoyed talking about it. When he had been human all those years ago, he had felt a pull to end the lives of the living, and he even acted upon that urge. All reapers had, though. It, among other things, was something every reaper had in common. They had all taken a life before they died.

"So you mustn't like demon then, right? They eat the souls you try to collect, after all." Alois asked, his eyes wide and filled with questions.

Grell blushed slightly as his thought drifted to Sebastian Michaelis. Perfect black hair, dark red eyes, a lean yet muscular body…. A shiver of delight ran down the reaper's chin, and he resisted the urge to cry out in rapture as the attractive image of his favorite butler came to mind

"Ah~, that's not quite true! They hide behind such delightful facades, so beautiful to look at! And if they're proper and use a contract, most reapers have no issue with demons." Grell revealed. "Demons like those you've just seen, they're the ones that reapers dislike the most. They don't seek to contract, just to prey on the weak and devour souls until their hunger is sated. Even worse, they mess up our ledgers." The red head said with a scowl.

"I'm not weak though, not with Claude by my side! Shouldn't those damn demon be able to sense that I've contracted?" Alois questioned, his voice revealing his irritation with the situation as his eyes fell on the demonic body not far from them.

"They did. They most likely thought they could overpower your darling demon, two against one. And demon are so fickle~! They have very particular tastes, you see, so all that seal really revealed…" Grell said as he reached out to pinch the boy's cheeks with a grin. "…is that you taste delicious!"

The blond blushed and swatted the red head's hand with a playful smile.

"This is true, your Highness." A voice said suddenly, cutting though the quiet night around them. "After all, I intend to make one hell of a feast out of you."

Grell jumped in surprise, nearly falling over from his sitting position. Out of the darkness of the forest emerged a dark figure, and the red head could see the demonic eyes glowing red though the shadow of the night. As the man moved closer, the reaper could barely contain his excitement.

Strong, masculine features, pitch black hair that fell into his face slightly, and narrow eyes that seemed to pierce anything they looked at. And right now, they were piercing his own. Heart pounding, Grell took note of his proper attire. 'Another butler, perhaps? He did say he was an earl, after all. Seems familiar.'

The demon's red eyes faded to a inhuman yellow color, and the demon set his sights on his master, who smiled happily at the sudden appearance of his demonic butler.

"Claude!" The boy cried out as he scrambled to his feet. "I knew you'd come for me!"

Grell stood as the boy wrapped his arms around the demon's waist, burying his face into the man's suit. Claude placed a comforting hand atop his master's head before pulling away and kneeling, meeting his master's eyes.

"Our contract is not complete, and yet you've fled me. Are you no longer interested in my services?" The demon questioned.

"It's not that!" Alois cried out as he shook his head. "You're so cold, Claude. I just wanted to see if you'd come for me if I ran. I wanted to see if you still cared." The boy whispered, hanging his head as a light flush of embarrassment tinted his cheeks.

Grell watched silently at the exchange. He was pleased he had been ignored, contrary to the usual, as some demon would attack reapers on sight. It didn't seem that would be the case with this one, at least.

"Your Highness, I am contracted to you. It is only fitting that I come to your side at a time of danger. And you need not seek out my attention, as I will be by your side until the end." Claude said in a monotone voice, his yellow eyes staring into his master's own.

"Oh Claude, I knew you cared!" The boy exclaimed. "I'm sorry I ran away! I was attacked by demon's you know, but Grell saved me! He's a reaper, Claude!" Alois said happily as he gestured to the forgotten reaper.

The demon's gaze landed on him, and Grell gave an uneasy smile as the demon got to his feet again. Claude approached him silently, his face void of emotion and bowed respectfully.

"I am Claude Faustus, butler of the Trancy household. I thank you for protecting my young master when I was unable to." The demon said before straightening up and adjusting his glasses. "Grell, was it? I must say I'm surprised, it's rare for anyone to see your kind."

The red head gave a toothy grin as the demon studied him meticulously. The man's golden eyes then flickered to the scythe on the ground nearby, looking over the weapon with curiosity before his attention turned back to the reaper. Falling back into his trademark stance, Grell replied.

"Yes, I'm Grell Sutcliff, a reaper to DIE for~! And of course you don't see us around, demons and reapers don't interact very often until it's a dispute over souls. Though, the handsome look you demon hold does draw me out time and time again~!" The red head giggled as he let his eyes wander over the demon's form.

'Handsome~…' The reaper thought to himself with a small smile, a light blush darkening his cheeks.

A soft breeze blew through the forest, the cold wind giving the red head a chill. The demon before him was regarding him with curiosity, his narrow eyes analyzing any information he could gather. The demon opened his mouth to speak, but Alois's words cut him off.

"Claude, I'm cold, let's leave." The child whined as a shiver shook his small frame. "Thank you again for saving me, _miss_ Sutcliff. If you ever find yourself on the far side of the city, stop in for some tea! Claude can be so boring~!"Alois said with a small smile, exhaustion showing on his young features as the demon swept him up in his arms.

"I'll be sure to take you up on the offer, darling Earl! But for now, I'll take my leave. Until next time~!" The red head exclaimed, silently pleased that the blond had referred to him by his preferred gender.

In a flash he was gone, his inhuman speed carrying him back towards the city. It had been a long night, after all, and he was eager to return home.

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Claude moved through the city quickly as he felt his young master shiver in his arms. The night was cool and damp, and though he wished to return to the manor as quickly as possible, the demon stopped running a moment later atop a rooftop. Setting his master on his feet, the demon slipped his suit jacket off and slipped it over the child's shoulders.

"Can't you get us home faster?" Snapped Alois, wobbling slightly where he stood.

The demon quickly gathered his master back into his arms, watching as the child cuddled into his jacket. The blond's head fell against Claude's chest with a light thud and the demon leaned down to whisper to the young boy.

"It would do no good for you to get sick, your Highness. We will be home soon, please be patient." The demon's deep voice replied before beginning to run through the city again.

Silence fell between the two again as they moved quickly across the rooftops of the houses. A soft yawn sounded from the child in his arms, and the demon found himself amused. His master was still but a child, and the night's events must have tired him out quite a bit.

Thoughts of the night's escapades brought up a bitter feeling in the demon though. Other demon's had sought out his young master's soul, and had that reaper not shown up his long awaited meal would've been stolen out from under him.

His Highness had been quite impulsive, running away from home as far as he had, and that was another cause for irritation and concern. His master was reckless and foolish, a child in so many ways. The demon had mistakenly assumed that because his master was attached to him, he would not leave the demon's side. But Alois's insecurity seemed to win out over his desperate need for attention. It was a mistake that he could not allow to happen again.

"Claude, are reaper's as rare as you said?" Alois questioned suddenly, breaking the demon away from his thoughts.

"Yes." Claude confirmed with a nod. "They are known to stay hidden in the shadows of the world, collecting the souls of the dying. They are rarely seen, and their numbers are said to be scarce."

"He was nothing like anyone I've ever met before. He wanted me to refer to him as a woman, he yelled and screamed when upset, and he didn't treat me as if I would break from cruel words…" Alois revealed, a thoughtful look on his tired face. "I want him."

Claude gave his master a curious look, though he suspected he knew exactly what his master wanted. The reaper had acted unrefined and wild, and has inadvertently sparked his master's curiosity. It was childish. It was spider-like.

"I want to entangle him in my web and tear off his bloody red wings so he can never leave me." The blond said softly.

"A creature of his nature is much harder to capture than a human, your Highness. It would require a gentle touch, luring words… A slow seduction into the darkness." The demon said, a sly smile tilting his lips just slightly.

His master's small hands dug into the demon's shirt, and bright blue eyes looked into his own with a look of desperation and need.

"You'll help me, won't you Claude? He could be useful you know, he's very strong! He could help fulfill my wish!" The child cried out, desperate for a response.

"Yes, your Highness."

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AN: Wow, certainly one of the longest chapter's I've ever written. I make no guarantee's to how often I'll be updating the fic, though it should be at LEAST once a week. I know, I know, usually I'm updating about twice a week ;.; I'm being a slacker.

Anyways, let me know what you thought? Even a quick review is better than nothing~ :D


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I just wanted to apologize, I've been dealing with a lot this week, and it's impacted my ability to get this chapter out. I've lost information not once, but TWICE for this chapter so far T.T My computer died, I'm sick and exhausted, and I can only hope that I please someone with the chapter. So please, read and review~

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Dreamscape

Chapter Two: Unexpected Tea Party

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Alois swung at the demon before him, striking her across the face and leaving a quickly darkening red mark to mar her skin. The blond ignored the woman's gasp, after all, she should know better by now, right?

"Don't you touch me! I want Claude to dress me, not you! Go get Claude!" Alois demanded as his fists shook in anger at his sides.

Hannah gave a quick nod and backed away from the child before she spun and left the room. The boy stared after her, rage swirling just below the surface. No matter how many times he had told her over the past three years, Hannah just didn't understand that Alois wanted nothing to do with her. Her meek look, her tender touches…

Some would call it heaven. Some would call it love. He called it obsessive and unwanted. The only reason that Hannah had been invited to stay in the mansion was because of Claude. The demon had assured him that it would be in his best interest to take in the Hannah and her three followers. The lot had certainly earned their keep in the years since, but Hannah was always at his side, persistent and relentless.

While Claude would only tell bitter truths, Hannah would only tell pretty lies. She would whisper of her love for him, even going as far as allowing him to strike her like some untamed pet. Her weakness was disgusting.

The door to his bedroom opened, and the boy turned excitedly to see Claude enter the room. The man held his normally stoic look, golden eyes fixing on him with a look that Alois couldn't determine. He hated that he couldn't tell what the demon was thinking.

The demon regarded him with a slight nod and quickly set to work on dressing the blond. 'His emotions, his feelings, his thoughts… all these things he keeps secret from me. I love him. I hate him.' The boy thought to himself, anger swirling.

Alois kicked a leg out, striking the demon in the chest with the heeled boot that Claude had just put on him. He dug the heel into the man's soft, fleshy body as he knocked the demon to the ground. He silently hoped that he had hurt Claude. He hoped the demon was feeling even a fraction of the pain that he, himself was feeling.

The demon's inhuman, yellow eyes locked with his own, and Alois had the urge to laugh. Claude would deny it, but the blond knew he had made the man upset. A giddy laugh broke though as he stared at the demon on the ground, looking like some house hold pet.

"Ahahaha! Claude, you look like such a fool! Doesn't that make you mad?" Alois questioned the demon as he picked himself up from the floor.

The boy crossed his legs and leaned back on the bed, relying on his arms to support him as he watched the expressionless demon standing before him. The other man ran a hand through his hair before moving to adjust his glasses.

"No." Claude replied, his voice steady and firm.

His giggled stopped, and the blond felt a cold rage come over him at the demon's reply. Of course Claude would deny it. There was nothing he hated worse. A knocking on the large oak door of the mansion drew both his and Claude's attention a moment later.

"Please excuse me, your Highness. I will go see who is at the door." The demon said.

The blond gave a nod, dismissing the demon who quickly set out towards the front door. Curiosity filled the young boy. They certainly hadn't been expecting any visitors today, and he had no one who would care enough to make time to visit him.

A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on his bedroom door. Bidding the person outside to enter, Alois watched as Claude opened the door and stepped into the room.

"Grell Sutcliff is here to see you. Would you like me to allow him inside, or should I turn him away?" Claude questioned, but Alois could tell by the man's slight smirk he already knew the answer that the blond would give.

"He came? He really came?" Alois whispered to himself in surprise. "Let him in Claude! No, I'll let him in! You go make some tea! We'll be in the library for when it's finished!" The boy cried out as he ran past Claude to the door.

The blond ran down the hallway and up to the door, eagerly pulling it open to reveal the waiting red head. Grell stood a few feet away, looking at the roses of the front garden with a small smile on his face. Alois made his way to the reaper's side, and was rewarded with a smile from the red head.

"Red roses are my favorite~!" Grell coo'd as he reached out to caress the flower's soft petals. "Red is such a passionate color with so many meanings. Red is the color of fire and blood, energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love~! A perfect color for myself."

Alois stared at the red headed reaper in silence. He had never heard someone describe them self by color before. Then again, he had never met anyone like Grell before.

"I wonder what color would represent me?" The blond wondered aloud.

As the red head's attention turned from the flower to himself, the boy shifted uneasily. Acidic green eyes studied him and the reaper seemed to be lost in thought, seriously considering what would best represent the child.

"Dark purple would be best for you. A mixture of a passionate red and a loyal blue. I can see it all in your eyes, sadness and gloom, frustration… Everything that color represents." The red head said as he walked away from the garden and towards the front door. "Lead the way~!"

Alois stood stunned. No one had ever seen so much in him so quickly. Most would look at him and see the face of a smiling child who had been though a lot, but nothing more. No one had ever taken the time to see the pain that still lingered, the heart ache and the hurt that still shattered his heart. All of this, and the reaper knew almost nothing about him.

Running forward, Alois caught Grell's gloved hand in his own and gave the reaper a large smile before dragging the man into the house. The reaper gave a surprised yelp at the child's enthusiasm, but followed behind.

The blond stopped in front of a door a few minutes later, pushing it open to reveal an extensive library filled with books. The room had a warm, cozy feel to it, and the pair quickly made their way into the room. A pair of plush chairs stood on the far side of the room, and Alois let go of the reaper's hand as he took a seat.

"I didn't think you'd come." Alois began, watching as the reaper sat down in the seat across from him.

"It's been nearly a month since you saved me on that night."

"Oh, we've been so~ overworked lately! There was a massacre a few towns over, and quite a few of our reaper's had to leave for that earlier in the month. The rest of us had to take on extra reaps, as well as extra paperwork." Grell's nose wrinkled slightly in disgust. "I hate paperwork. But things have finally settled down again, and I figured I would take you up on your wonderful offer~!"

"Oh, I heard about all that! Claude said it was a bunch of uncouth human's having a riot." The boy exclaimed, pleased that he had at least knew something on the subject.

Grell gave a nod.

"From what I've been told, a group large of travelers went though the town where a known cult is said to reside, and ignored the order to leave the town. Later that night, from what I heard, they were set on fire. Any survivors were captured and tortured to death. Humans are so messy." The reaper said with distaste.

The mention of flames brought back memories of his old village burning during a cold fall night. The dead had littered the ground all around, his brother included. He could still remember the stench of the burning corpses, and the lifeless look in his brother's eyes…

A soft touch to his shoulder drew Alois from his thoughts, and he swallowed harshly as his eyes met the golden eyes of his demonic butler. A cart holding a set of tea cups and a pot of tea rested next to the chair, and the blond couldn't help but wonder how long the memories of his dead brother had rendered him lost in thought.

"Today I've brought you Irish Breakfast tea, it's imported, a gift from her majesty after our work for her last month, and is said to be one of her favorites. I thought it would be appropriate for this occasion." Claude said as he poured the hot water though the strainer and into the tea cup.

'Yes, this is the perfect occasion for that, isn't it? I've been waiting for Grell to come visit for nearly a month now, after all. A special tea for a special guest.' Alois thought to himself as he accepted a cup of tea from his butler.

Claude made his way over to Grell and offered him a cup of tea, the red head happily accepting the cup.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, your Highness?" The demon questioned as he made his way back to the tea cart.

"No, just make sure the others don't interrupt us, and stay within hearing distance in case you're needed." Alois said, waving a hand in dismissal.

The blond watched his butler take his leave, tea cart in tow, and nearly laughed as the red head watched the man closely as he walked away, green eyes trained on his backside and a light blush on his face. The reaper's appreciative smile completed the look, and a small giggle escaped the boy.

"It's rude to stare, Ms. Sutcliff." The blond said with a light laugh, taking a sip of his tea.

"Just appreciating the sight, my darling Earl~!" The red head replied as he turned his attention back to the child before him. "Why you children all get all the good men, I'll never know." The man said with a pout.

"He's too cold, too uncaring. Appreciating the sight is about all anyone could do regarding him." Alois whispered as his eyes turned to the doorway Claude had left though. "But he's still mine, and no one can take him from me."

"That isn't true." Grell broke in suddenly. "Your fate will sever any ties between you both in the end. He will either eat your soul or you will die."

A feeling close to panic and irritation swirled in his gut at the thought. It was true, he couldn't put off achieving his goal forever, and he would eventually die. Part of him hated the reaper for telling him such cruel truths.

"He could just end the contract!" Alois snapped back, his bright blue eyes narrowing at the reaper across from him.

"He would die." Grell said, and the blond's eyes widened in surprise. "It's true, you know~! A demon takes quite a risk to enter into a contract with a human, one that always ends with death." The red head revealed with a large toothy smile.

As the reality of the situation sunk in, the child wondered why Claude had not told him such a thing. 'Because he has no intention of ending the contract.' His mind whispered back. No matter how much he denied it, he knew it was true.

"Shut up." The boy snapped, a cruel look overcoming his features. "You have a very annoying voice, and I don't want to hear it right now."

The red head sent him a glare, but he didn't care. The reaper had hurt him, it was only fair to do the same.

"You little brat! My voice is magnificent, MAGNIFICENT! Don't you get mad at me~ for telling you the truth, darling, be mad at yourself for not asking such important questions!" The reaper snapped as he slammed his tea cup down on a table that rested between the pair.

"Get out! I should've never invited you here!" The blond cried out, his hands shaking with rage as his unstable emotions swirled inside him.

The red head hesitated, and Alois considered calling for Claude, ordering him to remove the reaper. Maybe even ordering him to kill the annoying man. But he hesitated as the older man began to speak again.

"Do you want me to leave?" Grell questioned suddenly, catching Alois by surprise.

The blond wanted to scream. He wanted to shout and cry and hit, to declare that his words had been clearly spoken before having Claude throw him out onto his face. But no one had ever hesitated before. No one had ever considered that he may have been impulsive in his angry requests.

"No." He finally replied.

An awkward silence filled the room as Grell sat back down again and picked up his cup, sipping his tea quietly. Alois took a sip of his own, turning his attention to the window on the wall next to him. A few minutes passed in silence, before it was broken yet again.

"As beautiful as your mansion is, it's quite dull. What do you usually do for fun?" The red head asked, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for any hidden toys or games.

"There really isn't much to do." Alois revealed with some distaste. "I usually walk in the gardens or the forest nearby, and when I'm really bored I'll go bug Claude for a while."

As a sly smile broke across the reaper's face, Alois knew they wouldn't be bored for long.

* * *

Claude was mad.

It was quite a rare feat, for someone or something to bring out the wave of anger in him. Irritation, perhaps, but not often anger. Though, the day's events had lead to just that, no doubt with the help of a certain reaper. Of course, he wouldn't show it. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

Throughout the course of the day, pins had been taken from doors, causing them to fall over; perfectly shaped bushes in the garden had been morphed into animals, odd shapes, and skulls; a possum had somehow managed to get into the house; the triplets had been dressed in bright red, and their faces painted with makeup.

And of course, there was the current fiasco.

Hearing giggles and a few loud thuds, the stoic demon had followed the noise to the wash room. The sound of splashing sounded from within the room, and Claude could only imagine what would be waiting for him just beyond the closed door. Gently tapping on the door, he called out to his master reluctantly.

"Your Highness, may I enter?" The demon questioned loudly.

Shuffles could be heard from inside, followed by giggles and the sound of someone hitting the floor with a loud thud. A few colorful curses sounded from the reaper, and he heard his master laugh once more before answering his call.

"..uh, come in Claude!" Called his masters muffled voice, and with that, the demon threw the door open.

The sight that greeted him was about what he had expected. Two fully clothed, drenched figures stared at him from across the room, both wearing nervous smiles. Before him was a floor covered in water and suds, the tiles now slick and soapy.

"…Your Highness, what in the world is this foolishness?" The demon questioned with distaste as he tested the slickness of the floor with one foot.

"I wanted to learn how to skate. I've never been skating before, Claude, and it's much too warm out for there to be ice! Besides, we lack the equipment." Alois explained, acting as if the idea was somehow logical given the circumstances.

"Exactly~! So, I suggested this alternative, though I'm apparently no more graceful on soapy tile than I am on ice…" The reaper said with a giggle, brushing a piece of damp hair out of his face.

As the two giggled and slowly made their way along the floor, the red head paused, giving Alois a sly smile and holding his arms out towards the young man. The sudden action caught the blond's attention, and he paused in his movements as well.

"Alois~!" The reaper whined, "Carry me!"

"Bloody hell! Carry yourself you idiot! I can barely keep myself from falling to the floor as it is!" Alois replied, a scandalized look overcoming his face as he stared at the smiling reaper.

Bright blue met acidic green, and then as their gazes fell on him Claude fought the natural urge to run. Any lesser demon would've, all things considered. Alois flashed him a happy smile, holding his small arms out towards the demon, an expectant look on his face.

"Claude, I order you to come get me!" The blond cried out, his bright blue eyes full of amusement and expectations.

Ignoring the urge to ignore the order, Claude made his way across the slick floor with ease, easily reaching his young master. Slender arms encircled his waist and pulled him close, and the demon fought the urge to sigh loudly as his clothing began to adsorb water from the drenched child. Scooping the boy into his arms, the dark haired man easily made his way out of the room.

"Hey~! That's not fair!" Grell cried out behind them.

As the red head attempted to stomp a foot in anger, he lost balance and toppled to the floor with a loud yelp. Alois's laughter rang loudly in the demon's ears, and he quickly placed his master on his feet once again on the dry floor.

"Oh, he looks like such a fool! Don't you agree, Claude?" Alois said with an obnoxious laugh, gesturing to the unfortunate reaper as the red head attempted to get back to his feet.

"Quite." The dark haired man replied, stoic as ever.

Alois's laughter vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of pure annoyance as he stared at the demon before him. Rolling his eyes, he gave the struggling reaper a sneer before beginning to walk down the hallway, calling out an order as he left.

"Claude, this is an order. Help Grell, make sure he gets a change of clothing, and get this mess cleaned up. When you're done, come and change me. Don't doddle, or I'll push you~!" The blond cried out as he turned the corner of the hallway, leaving the demon alone with the trouble-making reaper.

As a butler, it was his duty to delegate tasks to those who fell under his command. His only direct order had been to assist the red headed man in getting out of the room. The other tasks, though they had to be completed as ordered, did not require him specifically.

With a slight nod, Claude turned away from the soapy room and the irritated reaper, clapping his hands loudly. A moment later, four demon appeared before him, ready to serve. The demon found himself mildly irritated as he noted the triplets had yet to change or cleanse their faces.

"Hannah, please find Mr. Sutcliff a suitable change of clothes, and leave them in the guest room near the stairway. Timber, Thompson, Cantebury, please see that this room gets cleaned as soon as possible. I shall assist our guest." Claude said, his voice firm and authoritative.

The triplets took their leave, whispering to each other as they began to walk down the hallway, on their way to gather cleaning supplies no doubt. Hannah gave a soft nod and turned away as well, a bemused look in her eye as she made her way towards the guest room.

Satisfied that the delegated tasks would be accomplished, Claude turned back to his own task, the sopping wet red headed reaper in the middle of the washroom. The man had finally gotten to his feet again, and was once again struggling to move along the slick surface, frustration evident on his face.

Carefully stepping out onto the soapy floor, the dark haired man crossed the surface with ease, reaching the reaper's side just in time as the man nearly fell again, grasping the demon's suit jacket in an attempt to remain on his feet. The red head flushed and gave him a shy smile as he stood straight again, and Claude was caught between amusement and annoyance.

"Tell me, are all reaper's this off balanced, or are you an exception?" The man questioned, bringing a hand up to grasp the other man's slender elbow.

The smile slid from the reaper's face and an angry look replaced it as the smaller man shoved him away roughly, almost knocking them both over. Annoyed, the demon moved towards the red headed man again, ignoring his protests as he lifted the reaper into his arms.

Grell squealed and struggled earnestly to get down, and the demon momentarily considered injecting the man with his venom to cease his movements. It would only knock the reaper out, most likely, but even his own toxic venom would not be able to destroy the divine being.

"It is my master's orders that I assist you in leaving this room. I'll ask that you stop struggling before you cause us both injury." Claude snapped as he slowly exited the room.

"Don't tell me what to do, you beast!" Grell snapped back, only to be dumped unceremoniously to the carpeted floor a moment later.

"Down the hallway to the left, you will see a staircase. The door immediately following it is a guest bedroom. You will find a change of clothing in there. Wait there when you are finished, and I shall send someone to retrieve you." the demon said firmly, his golden eyes staring into a surprised acidic green pair.

Finally, Claude turned away. He could not doddle, after all, his young master was waiting.

* * *

Alois gave a yawn, as his head rested against his pillow. It had been a long day, but one of the best he had experienced in a long time. Spending his day creating disaster after disaster with a grim reaper had been much more amusing than he had originally thought.

As Claude tucked him safely into bed, the blond couldn't help but kick the covers off again. He enjoyed it when the demon covered him so gently at night, and the urge to have the action repeated was overwhelming. He watched the demon's brow furrow slightly with annoyance as his blankets hit the floor, exposing the boy's bare feet to the chill of the room.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Cover me up again!" Alois snapped as the demon made no movement.

The child smiled slightly as his butler immediately retrieved the blanket, covering him once again with the fuzzy, warm blanket. The candle light caused the demon's glasses to glint, masking his inhuman eyes from his own. The darkness surrounding them both made him shiver.

"Are you annoyed, Claude? Are you angry that I made such a mess today?" He questioned, curious.

The normally stoic man tended to answer the same way every time he was questioned, and today was to be no exception it seemed.

"No." The dark haired man replied as he stood beside his master's bed, waiting to be dismissed.

"But Grell annoyed you, didn't he?" The blond giggled and teased, a sadistic smile forming on his lips.

Oh, how often he had sought to get a reaction from the demonic butler. And in just one day, in the matter of a few hours, Grell Sutcliff had drawn more animation reactions from the demon than the child had seen in the three years of living with him. Anger, irritation, frustration, relief... Part of Alois was jealous that he could not draw out those same reactions.

"Yes, he did." Claude admitted reluctantly.

He wanted to see more. He wanted to see more of this side of the demon, he wanted to laugh more, he wanted to have more days like today. And he would get what he wanted, no matter what. Even if Claude disagreed. In the end, Alois knew he would get what he wanted. It was just a matter of time.

"I think he likes you in his own way, you know. Or at least, he finds you attractive. I bet he would be disgusted if he saw your true form." The blond laughed, skeptical eyes moving over the other man's toned physique.

It was true, that his butler was handsome. Of course that fact had not escaped his notice. A demon was meant to be tempting after all, and Claude was a demon through and through. But in his demonic form, the dark haired man was truly hideous.

"That is doubtful. Reapers are aware that demons often take on the human form during their time under contract. And I assure you, there are much more visually disturbing demons around." The dark haired demon said firmly, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.

Alois frowned. 'Vanity is a sin even my own demon is guilty of.' The child thought to himself, torn between amusement and frustration. 'But this could work for me.'

"Since that is the case, I have an order for you Claude. Make Grell fall in love with you. Make him want to stay here with us for as long as I life, and even longer still. Entangle him so deeply that he can never free himself from our web." The blond demanded, a tired smile on his lips.

A reluctant answer cut through the darkness a moment later as his eyes fluttered closed.

"Yes, your Highness."

* * *

AN: -sigh- Only had to re-write this chapter 10x T.T I hope it came out ok. You should let me know ;) Reviews are author food after all, and they greatly encourage me to write~!


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Odji here bringing you the next chapter of Dreamscape~! I'm so pleased that everyone is enjoying this fic so far, and I can only hope that you all continue to do so. This chapter definitely starts the fluff for Claude and Grell, which I know most of you have been looking forward to, so enjoy!

* * *

Dreamscape

Chapter Three: Seduction

* * *

'This...' Claude thought to himself as he stared at the scene before him. '..could be a problem.'

Alois had requested a trip into town to buy new clothing, the child's cloths fitting a bit too tightly and appearing just a bit too small. Nodding, he had agreed to accompany his master into town as requested. The day had been long and uneventful, his master appearing the picture of innocence and kindness, though crude insults would occasionally slip out.

They had been heading out to their carriage when his master had stilled, a look of surprise on his features as his eyes stared into the crowded streets around them. Following the child's gaze, surprised rocked him as well.

Just down the street, smiling sweetly and batting his long eyelashes, stood Grell. But it was his company that had drawn attention. The face he smiled up towards belonged to none other than Sebastian Michaelis, the very demon that had killed his masters entire village and eaten the soul of his master's younger brother, Luka Macken. It was the demon who his master had sworn revenge upon.

Beside the pair stood Ciel Phantomhive, the tool of their vengeance, giving the happy red head an irritated look as his lips moved with words Claude could not hear. Sebastian, who seem to have taken to ignoring the reaper clinging to his arm, was giving his master an amused look.

"It isn't fair." Alois whispered suddenly, his eyes narrowing as rage flooded his young body, hands clenching at his sides. "It isn't fair that Ciel Phantomhive gets everything he wants. Grell should be with us right now, not him!" The boy cried out in anger.

The demon did not respond, instead he moved to place the bags he had been carrying inside the awaiting carriage. Behind him, he could hear his master giggling madly. Settling the last of the bags inside, he turned back to face his master. The child's eyes were filled with a twisted, gleeful look.

"Claude, this is an order: Go steal Grell away from them, put them in their place." Alois demanded, his eyes never leaving the objects of his vengeance.

The demon's eyes flashed, registering the order he had been given. With a smile tilt of his lips, he made his way through the busy street. As he approached, his demonic rival seemed to notice him first, his body tensing slightly as red eyes met gold. A moment later, he slid an arm possessively around the reaper's waist, amused by the alarmed gasp that sounded from the smaller man.

Bright green eyes clashed with his own, shinning with surprise and recognition. The red head tentatively tested his hold, pulling back slightly to move away, and Claude's long fingers hooked around his slender hip, holding him still. With a charming smile, he spoke.

"Ms. Sutcliff, I apologize for my interruption, but my master spotted you just as we were about to make our way home and insisted I invite you to join us." Claude said, ignoring the surprised looks he was receiving from Ciel and Sebastian.

The red head flushed as he tightened his fingers again, allowing the digits to toy with the cloth that covered the smaller man's sensitive skin. A soft gasp sounded, and he could feel the reaper shudder against him. It seemed following his orders and seducing the red head would be no problem.

"Oh~! Such a wonderful invitation, but I must decline! I've already promised myself to my Sebas-chan today, you see..." The reaper said, a lustful smile on his face as he turned to look at the handsome red eyed demon across from him. "Please let Alois know I'll be by tomorrow!"

Claude frowned slightly, displeased with the answer. His orders were to steal Grell away, and until he had done so he could not return to his master. Reaching out with his free hand, the demon gently grasped the smaller man's chin, drawing the other man's attention back to him.

"I must insist you come with me, Ms. Sutcliff." The demon said with a charming smile, leaning down until his face was only inches away from the reaper's own. "Surely I can offer you better company?"

He watched as pink cheeks turned as scarlet as the reaper's red hair, a gasp sounding from the man's delicate mouth. As a lustful smile overtook the reaper's delicate features, he knew he had won.

"Oh, yes~! Sorry Bassy, maybe next time!" The reaper said gleefully as he allowed himself to be lead away from the others.

"Grell, wait one bloody moment! You said you'd help us!" Ciel cried out in anger, his blue eye blazing with fury as he called after the flamboyant man.

His cries were ignored.

Keeping his arm around the reaper's waist, he guided the red head though the crowded streets, a pleased look on his face. Claude wanted to laugh, the feeling of Sebastian's eyes glaring daggers at his back enough to boost his mood for the day. He would likely need it, considering he would be spending another day cleaning up mess after mess from the man next to him.

"My master is over here, holding the carriage for us no doubt. He will be very pleased that you've decided to join us today." Claude said as they weaved their way over to the waiting carriage, the reaper giggling happily as he allowed himself to be pulled along.

"Oh, so professional even after hinting at such lewd things, how cold! I know you must be hiding some passion somewhere~..." Grell said giving a wink, a hand coming up to trail over the demon's muscular chest.

He cocked an eyebrow at the suggestive touch to his chest, curious to see how far he could push the sensual creature before him. It would have to wait until another time, however. The streets were not an appropriate place for such actions, they would embarrass his master as well as make him look uncouth.

His free hand came up to still the hand that had been stroking his chest, and his golden eyes stared deeply into the reaper's green ones.

"Follow me and I shall not disappoint you, Ms. Sutcliff." He reassured, pulling the reaper onward.

A moment later, the pair entered the carriage, Alois squealing with delight as he launched himself at the red head, tackling the reaper into a well-cushioned seat. Claude took the seat across from the pair, watching them interact with a bit of disinterest.

They began to move, the carriage slowly making its way down the streets that would eventually lead to the mansion. Outside, he could hear the driver encouraging the horses to move faster, a riding crop making contact with the beast's thick skin to move them along.

"I knew you'd come! What should we do today? Oh, I know! We-" Alois babbled, only to be cut off a moment later by Claude.

"You have lessons today, your Highness." The demon reminded his master, a frown on his face.

"Reschedule them!" Alois demanded, displeasure marring his features as his bright blue eyes filled with anger.

"It is too late to reschedule, and it would be unbecoming for an Earl to fall behind in such subjects. I must insist that you attend your lessons. I shall keep Ms. Sutcliff company until you are finished." Claude said, hoping that his master would catch on.

The pleased look on Alois's face alerted him that his master had indeed caught on to the demon's plan. He would use this time alone with Grell to complete his objective. From the looks of things so far, it would be an easy enough task to accomplish.

"Fine, but make sure you plan something that he likes for dinner tonight since he'll be spending the day with us." Alois ordered firmly, giving Claude a nod.

"Hey, I never said I was staying all day!" Grell cried out as he turned to the blond. "Who says I don't have plans tonight?"

Alois responded the best way he knew how, manipulating the situation. Tears filled his eyes, his bottom lip stuck out slightly, and he gave the reaper a look that screamed sadness. Claude silently applauded his master, impressed with his acting.

"S-So you just came to visit Claude then today? It's ok i-if you don't wanna spend time with me." The boy sniffled, his large eyes turning away from the reaper. "I understand."

The red head immediately went into a panic at the sight of a single tear trailing down a pale cheek, a wave of guilt and dread thickening the atmosphere of the carriage. The demon watch on in silence, pleased as the reaper reassured his master that he would stay and that he did, indeed, want to spend time with him. The reaper was easily manipulated, and he couldn't be more pleased with the situation.

'Yes,' the demon thought to himself. 'All is going as predicted.'

* * *

"I'm so bored~." Grell whined for the fourth time that hour, sprawled out along a comfortable couch in the Trancy library.

"I apologize, Ms. Sutcliff. If I had known you would be joining us today, I would've planned an activity for us to do." The demon murmured as he rolled his eyes as he stared out the window at the garden below.

They had arrived at the mansion only an hour ago, and he had quickly ushered his master to his lesson. He had been under the assumption that the mischievous reaper would entertain himself, but had been surprised to find that was not the case today, leaving him to wonder how much of their past 'adventures' had been his master's idea.

He heard movement behind him, but paid the reaper no mind. The other man crossed the room, and stood beside him a moment later, his slender arms encircled one of his own, and a warm body cuddled close. An eyebrow rose in question as he glanced down towards the reaper at his side.

"The back gardens are so pretty~! Do you enjoy visiting them?" The red head questioned as he nuzzled into the demon's arm.

"Yes. They're my favorite place at the mansion." The demon revealed, giving a thoughtful nod as he stared out the window, silence flooding the room once again.

"...Well, why don't we go outside then?" Grell questioned, giving the demon's arm a soft tug as he turned away from the window. "Come on, I'll race you~! I bet you can't catch me!" The red head said as he pulled away.

Claude watched as the reaper broke into a run, reaching up to adjust his glasses. A moment later he set off after the reaper, moving with demonic speed though the house as he followed after the lithe reaper. As he turned a corner nearing the back door, he spotted a trail of red hair fluttering in the wind as the reaper escaped into the garden.

It was exhilarating, to hunt the reaper as if he was the demon's prey. Claude quickly gained on the smaller man, reaching out to grasp him only to have the red head turn suddenly, escaping his grasp. A light laugh sounded as the reaper ran down the garden path, his hair brighter than any rose the demon had ever seen in the garden as it fluttered behind him like blood-red wings.

'A butterfly for me to devour.' He thought to himself, increasing his pace. His arm slid around the reaper's slender waist, the iron-like grip holding the reaper against him, leaving no room to escape. The red head squealed as he was lifted into the air, and the two came to a stop in the middle of the garden, both panting.

"My, my~!" Grell said breathlessly. "You're so fast! Now that I'm at your mercy, what shall you do to me~?" The reaper questioned flirtatiously, wiggling and grinding against his captor.

"I shall accompany you though the gardens." Claude said as he freed the smaller man, stepping up beside him and offering an arm.

The red head pouted but accepted the demon's arm, standing close to his side as they began to walk along the stone path. The atmosphere was content, and the demon was pleased. Though the light touch of the reaper's arm secured in his own was normally enough to nauseate him, the other man was at least being more tolerable than usual.

As the red head broke away from him to smell a small bunch of roses, Claude found himself flushing slightly as his eyes wandered the other man's feminine body, silently appreciating the delicate curves. 'Perhaps some good will come of this order after all.' The demon thought to himself.

* * *

Grell smiled happily as he stared up at the sky, a soft breeze ruffling his hair. The afternoon had been surprisingly pleasurable, as well as relaxing. Upon his own insistence, they had a small picnic in the garden under the shade of a large oak tree. Of course, the demon had not eaten, but he had prepared a small meal as well as tea for the reaper to enjoy.

Now, with a full stomach and a bright smile, the red head lay in the middle of the grass to sunbathe. Nearby, Claude was resting on the picnic blanket with his nose buried in a book, looking just as content as Grell felt. Over the course of the afternoon the demon had been surprisingly charming, doting on him in ways that no one ever had before. Every so often, the man would even grant him a soft, charming smile, and it would steal Grell's breath away.

Although the suggestive comments and gentlemanly courtesies were appreciated, they made him wary as well. It was not often that he was treated in such a way, most preferring to treat with him a rough slap than a tender caress, and up until this point Claude had been the same.

"My master will be finishing up with his classes soon." The demon said suddenly, pulling the reaper from his thoughts.

"So soon? Perhaps we should take another quick walk around the garden the, and appreciate each others company~, hmm?" Grell called back, bringing his fingers up to gently trail up his body seductively. "I know the feel of your demonic body against mine gives me the most sinful of shivers..."

As his body wiggled happily on the soft grass, he spotted the demonic butler picking himself up from the ground a few feet away. A moment later the man stood before him, an arm outstretched in a silent offering to help the red head to his feet.

With a smile that showed off his sharp, gleaming teeth, the reaper accepted the demon's hand. He blushed bright red as his body was quickly pulled from the ground and into the other man's arms with inhuman strength, the demon's free hand coming up to take hold of his thin waist. With a girlish giggle, he squirmed in the other man's arms for a moment before the demon pulled away, offering his arm to the reaper.

Accepting the man's arm, he allowed his hip to gently bump against the others as he was led through the garden, laughing when the demon would stumble slightly after becoming off-balanced. Teasing the demon was proving to be fun, and he couldn't resist pushing just a bit farther, wondering when the demon would finally reject his advances. With a soft tug, he bought them both to a stop in front of a large bunch of lilies.

"Oh, how often has it been that I've dreamed of receiving a passionate kiss from a handsome gentleman in a place like this~!" The red head cooed as he placed a gloved hand on the demon's firm chest. "Perhaps you'll indulge me? Such a forbidden action between reapers and demons is sure to set our hearts ablaze with sinful pleasure, don't you think?" He questioned as he stared into the demon's surprised, golden eyes.

A strong hand gripped his chin and tilted his head upward sharply, and he gasped in surprise at the sudden action. He couldn't help but grin as he swallowed down the lump in his throat. He hadn't been expecting the demon to accept his invitation, honestly. Heart fluttering rapidly in his chest as the demon leaned down to connect their lips, and before their lips could touch he let out a whisper.

"Be careful, I could fall in love." His voice warned softly as his green eyes fluttered closed.

The light caress of lips ghosting over his own made him smile.

"I can only hope," The demon's voice whispered back. "It is my order, after all." He replied as he moved to press their lips together in a firm kiss.

Before the demon could register what had happened, Grell shoved him roughly away, rage apparent in his eyes. 'An order? An order!' The reaper thought to himself as he stared at the surprised demon a few feet away from him. 'How dare that little brat toy with me in such a way!'

"I apologize, Ms. Sutcliff. I misspoke." Claude said as he began to walk back towards the smaller man, reaching out to grasp the red head's arm.

Grell swatted the demon's hand away, furious with the other man's actions. He wanted no part in the butler's orders, because as eager as he was to accept such intimate actions, he was not someone to be toyed with. This demon and his master would learn that, one way or another.

"Misspoke my ass! He ordered you to make me fall in love with you? How dare he play with me like that, I'm not some damned toy!" The red head cried out as he turned to head for the house. "I'll show him, he and I are going to have a little talk!"

The reaper stormed off towards the mansion, ignoring the demon following closely behind as he entered the large complex yet again. Making his way down the hallways and up the stairs, he was surprised when a firm grip stopped him on the steps.

"Don't touch me!" He snarled, spinning around and taking a swing at the demon.

The other man easily avoided his fist, and the red head tugged his arm from the demon's grasp, turning to continue up the stairs. He noted another demon standing at the top of the stairs, the maid, but brushed past her. The woman's eyes narrowed, and he could feel them watching him as he made his way towards the library, where Alois would likely have attended his lessons.

Two sets of footsteps followed behind him now, but anger blinded him to any threats the demons posed. If they attempted to stop him, they would meet his blade. He was in no mood to deal with them. Pushing the door open, he entered the library and immediately spotted the target of his anger sitting at a desk across the room. The child set his pen down as Grell approached, bright blue eyes staring up at him in irritation.

"I'm not done yet." Alois snapped at the reaper. "Is Claude really boring you so much that you need to interrupt me?"

The door clicked closed a moment later after both Claude and Hannah entered the room, the pair standing at the far end of the room as they prepared to observe the exchange.

"Actually, Claude is the reason for my interruption! Can you guess what I heard today?" The reaper questioned, not giving the blond a chance to answer before he continued. "That you ordered your demon to make me fall IN LOVE with him!" He snapped, his voice filled with malice.

Alois's eyes widened in surprise before they turned toward the pair of demon near the doorway, narrowing in anger. Though seeing the boy lose himself in anger would be pleasing, it was not Grell's goal. He was not angry that the demon had let the order slip, he was angry the demon had received such an order in the first place.

"Claude, you idiot! What were you thinking!" Alois screeched, shoving away from the desk as he got to his feet.

"I apologize, your Highness. I spoke without thinking." Claude said as he approached.

"I'm glad he did!" Grell interrupted before the two could continue their own argument. "How dare you play with my emotions like that!"

Alois had the sense to look ashamed, turning his head away from the reaper as he looked down, his blond hair falling in front of his eyes to hide them. Grell waited silently, watching the child for a reaction. He couldn't help but feel like a parent shaming their child for being disobedient.

"You don't understand at all!" Alois cried out suddenly, eyes turning up to face Grell's own as tears trailed down his cheeks. "I wasn't playing with your emotions, I just didn't want you to leave!" The child cried out.

"What in the bloody hell are you talking about, I wasn't going anywhere!" Grell snapped back, watching Hannah move closer from the corner of his eye.

"You do, though! Every time you come you eventually have to leave, and I don't want you to!" Alois cried out as he wiped his face with the back of his hand.

The red head rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Of course he had to leave, it was childish and ignorant to think he could stay forever! 'Then again,' he reminded himself as he stared at the blond before him. 'I am dealing with a child.'

"I'm a reaper, and humans will always die. But I keep coming back, right? What more do you want from me? Just drop the damn order!" Grell said, his short fuse already reaching its end.

The boy sat in silence for a moment, big blue eyes focused solely on the red head. The reaper resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably, or worse, smack the child upside his twisted little head. A moment later, a large smirk spread across Alois's features, and he frowned as an uneasy feeling overcame him.

"I have a challenge for you. I'll call off the order on these conditions only: You must move in here for one month, with the order intact. If you fall in love, I win and you have to stay with us. If you don't, I'll call off the order!" The child explained, seeming pleased with the offer he had given.

Grell gave a flat look.

"No deal." The reaper said with a frown. "I'll just put an end to this all myself and stop visiting!" He exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Claude has an order, and he can't stop until the order is fulfilled, even you know that! If you stop coming here, then he'll come to you!" The blond snapped, eyes flaring with anger at the suggestion. "What's wrong? Do you really feel like you can't control yourself enough to win? Are you really that weak? How disgusting!"

Grell growled to himself, displeased with the situation. Of course the boy was right. Claude had received an order, and because of that he would likely not receive a moment of rest until the order was fulfilled or called off. The challenge riled up a childish feeling inside of him, and the red head knew that he would likely regret his decision almost immediately after giving it.

"I am not weak, you little brat! I'll accept your challenge! One month, and after that you call off that blasted order!" He snapped.

A gentle touch to the small of his back made the reaper jump, and he spun to find Claude standing behind him with an amused look on his face. With a frown, he pulled away from the other man, swatting his hand harshly as he gave a fierce glare.

"Don't touch me!" He snarled at the demon, fists balled at his sides.

"I apologize, Ms. Sutcliff. Allow me to accompany you to retrieve your belongings, it will be quite a bit for one person to carry by themselves." The demon said as he offered his hand to the other man, only to have it swatted away again.

Before Grell could lay into the demon before him, he found himself cut off from his rant by Hannah, who had silently been watching the scene from the entrance of the room. As she spoke, all eyes were on her.

"Your Highness, I ask you to reconsider this conquest. A reaper will offer us nothing but misfortune. They're the natural enemy of demons, an-" She was abruptly cut off, and to her surprise, it had not been by Alois.

"Hannah, hold your tongue." Claude said coldly, his golden eyes glaring into her own as displeasure marred his handsome features. "It is not your place to make requests of our master. You are but a maid, a servant and guest of his household. If you cannot keep silent, then excuse yourself from the room."

"Get her out of my sight, Claude!" Alois ordered, looking furious at the interruption. "You know I have no tolerance for those who don't know their place!"

With a quick, 'Yes, your Highness,' the demon quickly escorted Hannah from the room, soft whispers breaking out from between the two as he was sent away. Grell watched the scene with silence, silently pleased that he was not the only one upset about the situation, but irritated as he imagined all of the trouble the demon maid would likely cause for him during his stay.

Turning his attention back to the blond child nearby, the reaper resisted the urge to pout. The situation his new 'friend' had gotten him into was not ideal, and if William found out, Grell was sure that his boss would have his head.

"I'm sorry about her, she seems to forget her place quite often. Sometimes she acts as though its her I've contracted with, not Claude." Alois said suddenly, his attention back on the red headed reaper before him. "Come sit with me on the couch! We've got details to go over!" The blond suddenly announced, taking hold of Grell's slender hand and pulling him over towards a couch nearby.

With a sigh, the reaper followed, now more than sure he was in over his head.

AN: Goodness, another long chapter! Just in time for the super storm/hurricane that insists on ruining my Halloween T.T I worked hard on this chapter to get this up before that damn storm hits, because I'd have felt guilty making you wait longer if the internet goes down. Hope you all enjoy, and of course send me a review :3


	4. Chapter 4

AN: So many wonderful reviews and well-wishes! Thanks guys! I'm so happy everyone enjoyed the last chapter, and that I even surprised a few of you, pulling away from how you expected the story to go! I can only hope that I continue to keep you all happy XD

* * *

Dreamscape

Chapter Four: Courting

* * *

"I said don't touch me!" Grell snarled, yanking from the demon's grasp and rushing into Alois's room, slamming the door behind him.

Claude frowned as he let his hand fall away, displeased that his advances had continuously been turned down for days. Of course he had his master, Alois Trancy, to blame for the situation he was in. The child's only friend in all of the years the demon had served him had to be a reaper. The only thing that could make the situation worse was for an angel to become involved. Like hell he would allow that to happen.

But for now, he was bound by contract to serve his master's every whim until their contract was completed and he could devour the boy's soul. With a sigh, he turned away from his master's door, deciding to take refuge in the garden while he continued to assess the situation. It was clear that his current course of actions would not yield the results he desired.

Down the stairs and through the elaborate hallways of the mansion, the demon found himself at the back door. Pushing it open, he almost smiled at the sight of the garden he so enjoyed. Closing the door behind him, the demonic spider made his way into the plush green garden, the feeling of the sunlight on his skin helping to improve on his mood.

The day was quiet and calm outside, the sun shinning brightly as a few wispy clouds floated onward up above. The demon took a deep breath. More and more often, he found that the mansion was stifling, suffocating. He preferred the wilderness.

A small yellow bird chirped in a tree nearby, and Claude found himself turning to face the small creature, offering his hand to the canary. The bird took flight and happily landed on the demon's outstretched finger as the demon walked farther into the garden.

"Hello little one, you're a sight for sore eyes." The demon cooed to the bird, a slight smile tugging at his features. "I'm in quite the foul mood, perhaps you can help me."

The bird chirped happily as Claude made his way towards a small table placed near the center of the garden. Taking a seat, he held the canary in front of his face, bringing his free hand up to stroke the bird's thin neck gently. Feathers ruffled in approval at the touch.

"I am in quite the predicament, you know. My master's will is ever changing, and is often hard to predict. Currently, I have orders to win the heart of an enemy, and enemy he has befriended and would desperately love to keep for as long as he is alive. I made a hasty decision, displeased with the situation, and allowed this other man to know of my master's order." Claude said as he studied the bird perched on his finger with interest.

The bird chirps at him a few times, letting the demon know of its displeasure, scolding him for being out of line. The demon frowned as the bird pecked at his hand, a slight pinch serving to punish him. With a sigh, he continued.

"Yes, I am aware I have displeased my master. Though the thought of having a reaper at our disposal is ideal, my tolerance for him is lacking. I had planned on the reaper demanding that my master retract the order. I had not expected my master to deny the request." The dark haired man revealed.

The bird turned its head away, as though what he had told it had been pointless and silly, silently demanding that he continue on with his tale. The demon resisted the urge to chuckle at his impatient friend, instead gently rubbing a finger down the birds chest and earning a pleased chirp.

"I am now at a standstill. Seduction may have worked well enough before, but no longer. For a demon, lust and sex are not uncommon to us. We often use these tactics to accomplish our goals. But my orders are to make this person fall in love with me, and love is an emotion I am hardly familiar with. Now I am stuck with a near-impossible order, and a reaper who is completely intolerant to my advances." Claude said, displeasure evident in his voice as he spoke. "What would you do, little one?"

The canary ruffled its feathers, its small claws slowly inching up his hand to his arm, and eventually the creature was on his shoulder. The bird hesitantly rubbed its feathered head against his chin, and the demon quirked an eyebrow in return, allowing the action. A moment later, the bird pulled back and cocked its head expectantly.

"I don't quite follow." The demon muttered, a frown etched into his features as he tried to decipher the creature's message.

The bird gave him an irritated peck before it cuddled close to him again, nuzzling its soft head into him affectionately. A moment later, he made sense of the canary's actions, though the idea only left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

"You suggest to slowly warm him to the idea, to court him?" He questioned, receiving a pleased chirp. "Yes, you may be correct. There may be no way around it." He said with a frown.

Claude reached out to gently stroke the bird's feathers again in silent thanks, and the small creature happily accepted the gentle touches, its eyes closing in pleasure. A moment later the bird took flight, making its way back into the treetops. Folding his arms over his chest and giving a deep sigh, the demon began to plan his next course of action regarding the reaper.

* * *

Grell frowned as he watched the demon in the gardens from the window of Alois's room. As per their nature, the demon was persistent, showering him with soft caresses and suggestive phrases. Though the playful and flirtatious side of him was dying to answer back to the others advances, he refused to lose himself to a man who was only following the orders of a child.

'It's only for a month, even I can do that.' He reassured himself, swallowing roughly as the demon seemed to sense him watching, golden eyes turning to meet his own a moment later. A slight flush painted his cheeks as he ducked away from the window, embarrassed that he had been caught staring.

A small set of arms slid around one of his own, causing him to jump in surprise as he turned to face the cause of his current predicament, Alois Trancy. The blond had latched onto his arm with a pleased grin, light blue eyes looking out the window and quickly spotting the dark haired demon below.

"He's still pursuing you, right? Does that anger you? You know he can't stop until I tell him to..." Alois giggled as he turned away from his butler, meeting the reaper's irritated gaze.

"Of course it makes me mad!" Grell snapped as he pulled away from the teasing child, a scowl on his face.

Alois's grin grew, and it only served to irritate the reaper more. He hated this. The only times he was expected to be away from the mansion was during work hours, which would mean skipping work a lot more often to pay visits to his Sebas-chan. That would anger William, who would seek him out if he got too far behind. He'd have to be careful.

'It's only a month.' He repeated to himself. He could do a month, right? Small arms encircled his waist, and a face pressed into his lower back. The red head had half a mind to pull away, but children had always been a weakness of his.

"You're the first person to answer that question honestly when I ask." The blond whispered softly. "I'm not stupid, everyone lies, I know that. But out of everyone I've ever met, you've been the most honest of them all. You don't hide how you feel, you admit your emotions. I think that's really beautiful, and I don't want to lose that." Alois admitted.

Grell sighed, his anger fading slightly at the honest, childish words.

"You can like me all you want, brat, but that's no excuse to try and keep me like a pet." He snapped, though his words were less harsh than before.

"I won't tell him to stop." The blond said firmly, holding him tighter.

Grell pouted and pulled out of the boy's arms yet again, moving to sit down on the couch nearby. He collapsed onto it dramatically, sprawling out across the length of the soft cushions. He ignored the light laughter behind him. A knock sounded on the door of the room, and all eyes turned towards the doorway as Alois bid the intruder entry.

Hannah entered the room a moment later, long hair trailing behind her and her soft eyes tinted with annoyance as her gaze rested on him for a moment. Grell glared back, but remained silent. It hadn't been his choice to stay, after all.

"Your Highness, it's time for your afternoon lessons. Your tutor is waiting for you in the library." She informed, her voice soft and timid as she spoke. "You should not keep him waiting too long."

The red head watched as his companion rolled his eyes, looking rather irritated with her interruption.

"Don't tell me what to do, Hannah. Claude would be displeased if he heard you right now, speaking to me in such a tone." Alois warned, a sadistic smile on his face as he regarded the maid.

Hannah remained silent, keeping her head down as she avoided eye contact with the boy. With a frown on his face, the blond turned away from the female demon and ran over to Grell, throwing himself unceremoniously onto the reaper's lap.

"Umph!" Grell grunted, blushing slightly as the boy affectionately hugged him close before pulling away and sprinting out of the room happily.

The reaper frowned as he felt his heart beating rapidly in his chest. It wasn't often when anyone treated him so affectionately, and he couldn't help but silently stare after the boy, a warm feeling overcoming him. It was nice, if a bit unexpected.

His eyes turned to the maid who had not yet moved from her position, her deep lavender eyes watching him with a look of distaste.

"What the hell are you staring at?" He snapped, his ill mood coming back tenfold at the look he received.

The maid entered farther into the room, pulling the door closed behind her with a soft click. She turned to him a moment later, her eyes narrow as they ran over his lithe form. Grell watch on, amused as the demon sized him up. Finally, she spoke.

"What is it you plan to accomplish by being here? Surely you know there were other ways to handle this situation, as delicate as it is?" Hannah questioned as she moved forward, approaching him.

Grell tensed slightly as the demon approached, aware that she could strike at anytime. Fighting a demon without his trusted scythe in hand made him a bit nervous, though he knew he could likely overpower the woman if need be. It was unlikely though, as the meek-looking maid seemed eager to impress her master, and attacking him would earn her no favor for certain.

"You mean I could have ran, hid away from this world until they finally gave up. Don't think me so weak." Grell growled, his bright green eyes narrowing as he stood to face the maid. "And my work wouldn't allow such a thing. A reaper's place is in the human world, judging the souls of the dead and collecting their records. I dislike paperwork as it is, I'm sure as hell not going to sit behind a desk and hide for the next ten years!"

Soft laughter ran out, and the reaper found his annoyance had doubled in just that quick moment. The female demon was quickly becoming an annoyance, and the red head found himself becoming less and less tolerant of her as time passed.

"There is another way..." The woman said with a soft smile. "Reapers must be quite strong after all, to defend a soul from hungry demon. Surely that strength could be put to use in an undesirable situation?"

'She expected me to kill him!' Grell thought in surprise, not expecting the suggestion. 'But between her and those triplet demon's, I wouldn't stand a chance... Unless they wouldn't have stepped in...' The reaper's brow furrowed.

"Keep out of things that don't concern you, little maid." The red head snapped as he walked past the woman, intending to leave the room. "None is this is any of your business, after all. I wonder what Alois would do if he knew you suggested such a thing? I wonder what Claude would do?" The reaper giggled, images of the demon being decapitated by Claude as Alois cheered him of making an amusing image in his head.

The woman remained silent, and Grell quickly made his way out of the room. It was almost time for work anyways, after all.

* * *

"I'm worried though! I know he had a couple of days off, but I haven't seen him at all in just as long! I mean, what if something happened to him? What if he went on another Jack the Ripper-spree? What if-" Ronald was cut off.

"He's here." William said with a sigh, reaching up to adjust his glasses as his subordinate reaper skipped up to them, red hair trailing after him.

Grell wore a bright smile on his face as he approached them, eagerly leaping threw the air towards him with puckered lips. William quickly stepped to the side, watching as the red blur landed behind him with a loud thud, and the dark haired reaper shook his head when he heard his coworker groan in pain.

Next to him, Ronald scratched his head, a slight smile on his face as he stared at his friend. The red head picked himself up off the ground, turning to face them a moment later, looking slightly disgruntled.

"William~! I've missed you, and after so long apart you'll deny me something as simple as a kiss? See how cruel he is to me, Ronnie? You'll give Sempai a kiss, right?" The flamboyant reaper asked with a pout, crooking a finger at the younger man as he beckoned him closer.

The blond reaper sighed as he moved forward, softly pressing his lips to the red head's cheek as the troublemaker giggled happily. William, however, turned his head away, uninterested in seeing the display of affection. It made him uncomfortable, and it was against work policy.

"Enough of that." The raven haired man snapped. "Sutcliff, you've had Knox worried for days. Where the hell have you been?" He questioned.

The flamboyant man wrapped his arms around his trainee, batting his lashes flirtatiously.

"Oh~! You were worried, Ronnie? You're too cute!" Grell said as he squeezed his friend tightly.

"Well yeah, Sempai." Ronald said, shifting uncomfortably as he moved away from his friend. "I went to visit you to see if you wanted to go to a party with me two days ago, and you weren't home. It looked like you hadn't been home in a while." The blond replied.

William crossed his arms over his chest, scowling.

"You didn't get the department into more trouble, did you? I won't tolerate another incident like the Jack the Ripper scandal, Sutcliff. I swear I'll reap your soul myself." The dark haired man growled, a frown etched into his handsome features.

"Eheh... Nothing like that Will~!" Grell said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Nothing that involves the department at all, just some boy troubles! I'm a devastating beautiful bringer of DEATH after all~! Such things are to be expected..." He said, giving both men a coy look.

William watched as Ronald frowned at the statement, concern plastered all over his face. William also felt the uncomfortable feeling of worry, it was not often that their friend had a "boy problem." Usually, he WAS the problem, after all.

"Grell-sempai, do you need me to beat someone up for you? If so, just point him out! He won't even see it coming!" The rambunctious blond cried out, a frown on his boyish face.

William shook his head at his subordinate's heated and childish reply. Of course, if it came down to it he would do the same for the flamboyant reaper, but that was besides the point. Grell giggled happily, seeming pleased with the reaction.

"If I need a hand, I'll be sure to let you know, darling! But I doubt there's a man I can't handle myself~!" The red head replied with a light laugh. "But enough of this worthless chatter! Lets get to work, I've been away for too long you know!"

William's eyes widened slightly at the statement, and he had half a mind to check the other reaper for signs of a fever. Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of concern, he bid the smaller man goodbye. His eyes met Ronald's a moment later, and he knew he was not alone in his concern.

* * *

"Excuse me, could you please repeat that?" Sebastian requested as he regarded the wiggling red head before him with a frown.

"I said I've got a demon-stalker! You'll scare him off for me, right?" Grell pleaded, pressing his hands together as he stared up at the red-eyed demon.

"No. Go ask Mr. Spears or Mr. Knox." The demon replied, turning away from the reaper and beginning to walk down the hallway of his master's mansion.

Grell sprinted after the handsome man, frowning at his disinterest in the situation. The red head quickly reached out and took hold of the demon's arm, spinning him around once again. If anyone could help him find a loophole in the current situation, it would be Sebastian. William and Ronald would blame him, claim that he brought the situation upon himself. He couldn't drag them into this mess.

"I can't! They won't understand, and they certainly won't be able to help me! Please, if you get me out of this situation, I'll stay away from you and your master for a month!" Grell pleaded, clutching the butler's jacket as he begged.

The demonic butler sighed, giving him a flat look as he stood in silence. Grell's eyes grew large as he silently pleaded for the other to help him, and he was finally rewarded with a nod of Sebastian's head. The reaper immediately broke out into a grin.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He squealed, throwing his arms around the object of his affection happily.

"Get off me." The demon ordered firmly, pushing the reaper away from him with a glare. "Now, start from the beginning, and explain the situation to me. Make it quick, because its almost tea time. Young Master will me displeased if I'm late."

Grell nodded, quickly recanting the tale to the demon as quickly and accurately as possible. Explained his first encounter with Alois Trancy, watching as the butler's eyes widened at the name. He told of his visits with the marked child, and eventually of the order Claude had allowed to slip.

"...And now I'm living there with them, as per the agreement, for a month! And even worse, that damn spider demon won't leave me alone! He's always trying to touch me and flirt, even after I tell him not to! He's so rude~! And what kind of woman would fall for a man like that, knowing that he's just acting on an order?" Grell whined, a small frown on his face. "So, what should I do? There has gotta be a way around this!"

Sebastian sighed, bringing his hand up to run threw his raven hair while his eyes rested on Grell. The red head fought the urge to wiggle around, knowing that as much as he wanted to play with his favorite demon, the man's tolerance for him was already at its limit. If he pressed too far, he would get no answers at all.

"My, this is quite a predicament you've gotten yourself into, isn't it? Tell me, how much do you know about the Trancy household?" Sebastian asked, curious.

"Not much." Grell admitted. "I haven't really asked many questions. Alois is a bit... touchy. He reminds me a lot of myself when I was a child. I can tell you that there are five demon in the mansion, and that the brat is the only human."

The demon nodded, absorbing the information. Grell waited silently, wondering what the demonic butler would suggest to get himself out of the awkward situation.

"Alois Trancy contracted with Claude Faustus to gain revenge against myself." Sebastian revealed finally, his face void of emotion as he spoke. "I am not sure what I have done to cross the child, as I've never interacted with him nor his pet spider. As for a way out of the situation, I have none. At least, not without knowing the exact order given. Usually, the wording human's choose leave room to tamper with the orders a bit. You'll have to play by his rules if you intend to get the order retracted."

"Well, that didn't help me much at all!" Grell snarled, crossing his arms over his chest. "You at least owe me a kiss for being so worthless in this situation! A kiss with TONGUE." The red head demanded, his lips twitching as a smile tried to emerge.

The dark haired man ignored his request, turning away to continue down the hallway once again.

"Let yourself out when you're done being a fool." Sebastian called back as he turned the corner.

Grell let out a wiggle he had been holding back, watching with half-lidded eyes as the handsome man left him to himself. 'So handsome...' The reaper thought to himself as a blush spread across his cheeks. 'But no more time to dawdle. Back to work before William catches on. Or even worse, before that damned spider shows up.'

* * *

Grell yawned as he entered the mansion, Timber granting him access in silence. The red head flashed the young demon a toothy smile, pleased when it was returned.

"Welcome back, Ms. Grell. Would you like me to take your coat?" The demon asked politely, cocking his head to the side.

The reaper nodded, sliding the coat off his thin shoulders and handing it to the demon. The purple haired man accepted the offering before leaving silently. Grell couldn't help but frown. It would be nice to have someone to talk to besides Alois. The child was still a bit too young for womanly gossip, after all.

Shaking his head, the flamboyant man moved forward into the mansion, heading for the stairway across the large room. It had been a long night filled with overtime, his visit with Sebastian putting the reaper behind in his work. It was late now, and although he entertained the thought of bidding Alois goodnight, he was certain that the child was likely already asleep.

Halfway up the stairs, Grell's stomach gave an embarrassingly loud growl, and he was thankful that no one else was around to hear it. In fact, he was surprised that he hadn't seen any of the other demon of the household yet. 'They probably knew it was me. Demon can sense those they grow familiar with, I've heard...' The reaper thought to himself.

Too lazy to turn around and head to the kitchen, the red headed man continued to the top of the stairs, silently making his way to the guest room Alois had allowed him to have. The dimly lit hallways flickered with candle light, giving the quiet space a warm glow.

Approaching his room, Grell eagerly threw his door open, exhausted from the trying day. To his surprise, however, the candles in his room had already been lit. Even more surprising was the meal that sat on a tray on his bed. A warm bowl of stew sat next to a single red rose, and the reaper felt himself blush, knowing who had prepared the display. Under the rose lay a piece of folded paper, and the red head was embarrassed to find himself eager to open it.

'No harm in enjoying a bit of spoiling...' The flamboyant man thought to himself as he unfolded the note. In small cursive, a few simple words were written.

_A rose, though similar, does not reflect your beauty adequately. Such passion is a rare find, and should be treated as preciously as a rare gem._

_I request that you have dinner with me in two nights time. Please write your answer on the back of this note, and leave it outside your door. You'll find a pen and ink on your nightstand.  
_

_Claude  
_

A smile fought to break across his features, but he held it back. The gesture was sweet, and Grell had never had such beautiful words directed towards him before. Had it been any other man, he would've been over the moon. But how could he feel excited while knowing that the other man had only written such lovely things because he was forced to?

Moving over to his nightstand, the reaper spotted the pen and ink. Dipping the pen, he quickly jotted down his answer onto the paper.

_Maybe._

With a slight pout, the red head made his way over to the door, laying the note on the floor outside of his room. Closing the door, he listened to the quietly approaching footsteps of Claude Faustus as he approached. He heard the demon chuckle softly, and then footsteps sounded as the other man left him once again.

'Now, to enjoy a nice meal.' Grell thought with a tired smile, eager to fill his stomach and rest.

* * *

AN: Wow, lots of POV changes there, but I had to cover a lot as well XD I hope you all kept up ok, and I hope you're all enjoying the plot so far :) So much more to come, including an awkward "date" next chapter! I'm really excited to write it :3 Anywho~ read and review my lovelies!


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I apologize that this chapter is out a bit later than usual! I've been so very busy lately with my kids, but no worries, I'm still completely devoted to this fic~ ...Even if it IS going to be much longer than expected XD Oh well! This chapter, Claude and Grell go on their first date! How exciting!

* * *

Dreamscape

Chapter Five: A Date

* * *

"GET OUT!" Alois screamed, drawing his hand back to slap his maid yet again, his eyes burning with rage. "You know better than to come into my room without permission!"

Hannah gave a respectful bow, quickly making her way out of the room, her cheek already beginning to bruise from the strikes she had received. 'Kid's got quite a swing on him...' The reaper thought with a smirk. The red head watched as Alois slammed the door closed after the injured maid, his eyes still flared with anger.

"My~, what an unbecoming look, Mr. Trancy!" Grell teased, a large toothy smile on his face.

Alois scowled in return, his normally bright eyes darkening with anger and hate.

"If your going to be a jerk, you can just leave too!" The blond snapped as he threw himself onto his bed, a miserable look on his childish face.

Grell frowned, slipping off of the chair he had been seated in and making his way over to his companion. As he approached, the boy turned to face away from the reaper. Sprawling out on his stomach next to the child, the red head gave a sigh.

"You've been testy all day, what's wrong?" The reaper questioned as he draped an arm over the child's slender waist.

Alois turned back to face him, a wary look on his face as he studied the reaper. Grell gave a toothy smile, ignoring the awkward feeling of scrutiny. After a moment, Alois turned to bury his face in his blanket, the fabric muffling him as he spoke.

"Now, I know that you know I can't hear you, brat." The reaper said with a flat voice, unamused by the others childish antics.

The boy picked his head back up, facing the red headed man yet again and eying him. Finally, he decided to speak.

"I miss my brother, Luka." The blond boy replied. "He died a few years ago when my village was massacred, and I miss him so much... But I plan to avenge him. That's why I contracted Claude, you know. We found the man who killed him, and I'm going to make him suffer. Death is too kind."

_"Alois Trancy contracted with Claude Faustus to gain revenge against myself." Sebastian revealed finally, his face void of emotion as he spoke. "I am not sure what I have done to cross the child, as I've never interacted with him nor his pet spider."_

Sebastian's words rang in the reapers head. Alois was seeking revenge on Sebastian to avenge his brother, who Sebastian had killed... 'But why would a demon take the time to kill a mere child? Unless it was an order... Or unless he was promised the child's soul in exchange for a wish.' Grell thought to himself. But wouldn't Sebas-chan remember such a thing?

"How do you know it was a demon that killed him? I mean, it could've been a human, right?" The reaper questioned, curious to the circumstances that had lead the child to such a fate.

"When I contracted Claude, I have him an order. That order was for him to find out who had caused my brother's death, and to make them suffer a fate worse than death. While he was searching, he found Hannah, who said she had seen who destroyed my village. The demon now known as Sebastian Michaelis." Alois confirmed, his bright blue eyes filled with insanity, hate, and disgust.

Grell nodded, hearing the boy's words but his mind began to drift. Hannah's involvement would explain a lot, but he would have to do some research... But work could wait until later. After all, he was no over-achiever!

"Well, I know something that'll cheer you up, as much as it'll only serve to annoy me..." The red head said, a pout on his lips. "Your darling Claude plans to make a move on me tonight! He's planning dinner for the two of us this evening, like a date~! It'd be really sweet, if it wasn't for the order..."

Alois frowned, seeming to be displeased with what he heard.

"Who cares if its an order? God, you're so picky..." The boy said, swatting at the red headed man.

"I care!" Grell snapped. "All I've wanted my whole life was for someone to be as crazy in love with me as I am with them. And now I've got a man finally chasing after me, but he's not really interested in me at all! It's frustrating~! A maiden like myself should have handsome men beating down her door, not tolerating the advances of a demon under contract!" He whined.

Alois rolled his eyes, and Grell huffed. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

"What to wear, what to wear... I don't want to look too good, and make him think I'm enjoying this. But I don't want to show up looking like trash either..." The reaper gave a frustrated yell, running his fingers threw his wet hair. "Damn demon!"

A sudden knock at the door drew the red head from his thoughts, and he wrapped his robe a bit tighter around him. Claude had told him they would dine after Alois went to sleep, but it was still a bit too early for that yet. Even with that in mind, he wouldn't out it pas the demon to show up at his door, willing to "help."

With a sigh, the red head moved to the door, pulling it open just enough to peek at whomever awaited him outside. Dark purple hair and red eyes greeted him, and the reaper eagerly threw open the door, giving the younger man a seductive smile.

"Well, hello~ Timber! What could bring you to a maiden's door at this hour? Planning a bit of late night seduction, perhaps?" Grell teased, pressing his lithe body against the door frame.

The younger man blushed, and shook his head, looking flustered.

"Actually, Mr. Claude sent me down here to make sure you were still having dinner with him tonight. He's putting Master Alois to bed now, and then plans to start cooking dinner for you." The demon revealed, scratching his head slightly as he spoke.

"Yes, I do still plan to have dinner with that dreadful demon." Grell confirmed with a pout that turned to a grin only moments later. "But since you're here, I could use another opinion~!" He said happily, reaching out to grasp the other man and drag him into the room.

Closing the door behind them, the reaper gave his new-found helper a toothy grin, a hint of insanity slipping through. Timber gave a wary look.

"What would you have me help you with, Ms. Grell?" The purple haired demon questioned, tilting his head slightly as he took in the sight of the bedroom, clothing scattered all over.

"I can't decide on what to wear!" The red head cried out, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't want to wear something too sexy or revealing, can't have him getting the wrong idea after all... But I can't exactly show up in a burlap sack either!"

"You... want me to help you pick out a dress?" Timber asked cautiously, receiving a nod in return.

Grell watched happily as the young demon nodded to himself and began to wander the room, occasionally picking up dresses and inspecting them. Finally he picked up a silky black dress, one of Grell's favorites, and handed it to the red headed man.

"This one is nice, will you try it on?" The demon asked as the reaper took the dress from his hands.

"I love this one~! Turn around, and I'll slip it on!" The red head said excitedly, holding the dress against the length of his body.

The demon nodded, turning around to allow him some privacy, and Grell wasted no time in stripping out of his current clothing and slipping on the soft fabric. The dress was simple and tasteful, and accented his curves perfectly, clinging in all the right places. The soft silk brushed against his toes, and the reaper did a small spin, feeling the cool air on his bared upper back. Adjusting the straps on his shoulders, he called out to the demon once again.

"You can turn around now~!" He sang happily, grinning as the other man turned around.

Timber's red eyes immediately widened at the sight, a look of surprise appearing on his face before it was quickly brushed away. As the other man's eyes roamed his form, Grell couldn't help but blush. The boy was cute, but a bit too young for his tastes. 'How unfortunate...'

"This dress is good. Its sensual and feminine without being too sexy and flirtatious. And if you change your mind, and decide you're interested in Mr. Claude, all you'd need to do is hike up the skirt of the dress..." The demon said, his red eyes flickering up to meet Grell's own with a teasing smile.

The reaper laughed at the demon's bluntness. Alois was wrong, he was not the only honest one in the house. It seemed that under the soft whispers and silence of the triplets, at least one of them didn't hide behind lies and manipulation. How refreshing.

"I'll not be changing my mind, but thank you for the insight!" The reaper giggled, a large smile on his face. "Let him know I'll be down at nine, and that he'd better be on his best behavior!"

The demon nodded but remained silent, turning to leave. Without a second thought, he rushed up behind the smaller man and wrapped his arms around him, stopping the demon where he stood.

"Thank you for helping me~! You should come back to visit me again soon, you know. A princess can get pretty lonely sitting all alone in her tower..." He mumbled against the man's back before releasing him.

Timber glanced at him over his shoulder and sent him a small smile before leaving, the door clicking closed behind him. Ignoring the feeling of loneliness, the reaper made his way over to his vanity, taking a seat as he began to brush his long red hair.

Humming a tune to himself, the red head ran the brush through his hair until it was as smooth as silk, shinning and soft. He ran his fingers threw it before gathering the bright strands in his hands, and drawing his hair up into a high ponytail. Tying his hair with a bow, the man smiled at the sight he saw in the mirror.

"Next, makeup..." He muttered to himself as he unclasped a small case on the vanity.

A small brush and a container of lipstick rested inside, as well as fake lashes, eyeshadow, and foundation. Pulling out the container holding the liquid lip-color, the reaper happily picked up the brush and dabbed it into the blood red liquid. He brought the soft bristles of the brush to his lips, and proceeded to paint them in a luscious red shade.

Once he was satisfied, he placed the items back in his makeup box, picking up eyeshadow next. 'To accent the color of my eyes with green, or to accent the color of my hair with red... Choices, choices...' The reaper thought to himself, pouting slightly as he stared at the colorful makeup in his hand. Finally, he applied some red to his eyes. 'Red is always best, after all...'

Before he knew it, nearly an hour had passed, and a knock at his door drew the reaper's attention. Grell took a deep breath, letting it out slowly to quell the butterflies that had no right to be in his stomach. He moved from the vanity and opened the door, revealing his date for the evening.

As the reaper took in the sight of the handsome demonic butler, donning a white button-up and a pair of black slacks, he couldn't help but blush slightly. Had circumstances been different, Grell would've been more than eager to just invite the enticing man back into him room instead of following him to dinner. Claude's eyes widened in surprise as they roamed his form, and then the demon gave a charming smile and offered his arm.

"I've come to escort you to dinner, Ms. Sutcliff. However, you look more enticing than any meal I could serve you." Claude said, suddenly pulling a rose out of what seemed to be thin air.

Grell accepted the man's arm, as well as the flower, tentatively sniffing the offering. 'Kind words and pretty gifts, perhaps being courted by a demon isn't too bad. Not that I'd ever fall for it, after all...' He thought to himself, a slight smile on his face as he allowed himself to be lead through the house.

To his surprise, they passed through the dining room and moved to the back door, going out into the gardens. He couldn't keep the look of shock and pleasure off his face as he took in the sight before him. The entire area was lit with candles that had been scattered along the ground, a path leading up to a small table where their meal sat waiting under silver covers.

"Do you like it? I considered a more traditional setting, but this isn't exactly a traditional date." The demon stated, leading Grell to his chair as any gentlemen would.

"It's beautiful~!" The reaper gushed, forgetting that he was supposed to be angry with the other man over the current situation. "Such a romantic display, I'm surprised a demon would do something like this..." He said as he slipped into his seat at the table.

"If I could not do such things, what kind of a demon would I be?" The demon questioned with a smirk as he slid into his seat across from Grell.

The demon gestured towards the silver lids that protected their meals, and the reaper immediately reached over to pluck his own lid off, revealing his hot meal. The pleasant aroma was almost overwhelming, and the red head was surprised at how ravenous he had become.

"Tonight I've made us lamb roast, baked potatoes, and a side of mixed vegetables. I'll also be serving traditional red wine, one of the best around. Is this meal well enough to your liking?" Claude questioned, his face void of emotion as he spoke.

Grell nodded eagerly, the meal looking and smelling more than appealing enough for him. He happily picked up his silverware and began to eat his meal. He was surprised though when the demon began to to the same. It was rare for demon to eat human food, as most of it tasted horrid to them.

"You don't have to, you know." He said suddenly, surprising even himself. "It doesn't bother me if you don't want to eat."

The demon paused as his knife sliced into the roast, golden eyes flickering to Grell's green orbs before he nodded and placed his silverware down on the table. Pleased that he had been heard, the red head continued his meal. An awkward silence fell over the table as he ate, and the reaper couldn't help but shift uncomfortably.

"Is something wrong?" Claude questioned suddenly, seeming to sense that the atmosphere was lacking.

Grell hesitated, debating on telling the truth or lying, and denying that he was having any issues with the evening. He had no intentions of getting to know the other man better, after all, but the awkward dinner sounded no more appealing. With a sigh, he nodded.

"The whole dinner feels forced, and you're a horrible conversationalist." He said bluntly, a small frown on his face.

The look on the demon's face almost made him laugh, displeasure marring the handsome man's features as his eyes narrowed. Grell couldn't help but be silently pleased that he had caused such a reaction with the normally stoic demon.

"You've barely spoken a word to me since we've arrived, and a conversation goes both ways." The demon said flatly. "And what would you have me speak about? I doubt you'll speak about your work much, as reapers keep most things regarding their work hidden from the world."

"You've been contracted to quite a few people, I'm sure. Some of them must have been interesting, why don't you tell me about them?" The reaper pressed, stabbing into a potato with his fork and placing it into his mouth.

"That is hardly an appropriate dinner conversation, and for a proper woman such as yourself to suggest such a thing is quite unbecoming." The demon stated as he reached up to adjust his glasses, watching as Grell swallowed down his food.

"I'm hardly proper, and since when is the discussion of past work an inappropriate conversation topic? I'll assure you, I don't have a weak stomach. You can't in my line of work." The reaper said with a bright smile, winking at the man across from him.

Slowly, a smirk appeared on Claude's face as he began to delve into the tales of his past conquests and meals. Grell quickly finished his meal, listening to the stories of war, temptation, seduction and bloodshed. Though the demon was not outwardly as passionate as the reaper preferred his men, he was pleased to find that the spider butler spoke with dramatic appeal as he recalled the stories that had brought him to his contracted soul today, overzealous gestures and speech making the reaper laugh happily as he watched the demon with amusement.

Before he knew it, the moon was high in the sky, signaling that it was nearly midnight, and the red head wondered where the time had gone. Claude seemed to have also noticed the time, reaching over to clear away the dishes and place them on a cart nearby.

"I apologize, I've kept you later than I intended. You must work in a few hours, and I must as well." The man said as he offered the reaper his hand.

Grell giggled and accepted the demon's extended hand, allowing the man to pull him from his seat. He was surprised by how much he had enjoyed the meal. The demon wasn't so bad once he loosened up, forgetting the appearance he was forced to uphold as a demon as well as a butler for a wealthy household.

"No need to apologize, I enjoyed myself, surprisingly~!" The reaper stated with a cockeyed smile on his face.

Wrapping his arms around one of the demon's own, he was pleased as the other man silently escorted him inside the mansion and up the stairs. Arm in arm, the pair stopped outside of Grell's bedroom door. The reaper glanced up at the man at his side, curious when the other made no move to speak or pull away, seeming to be lost in thought.

"Well, thank you for dinner..." The red head stated softly, pulling away from the demon and moving towards his door.

As he moved to open the door, he was surprised to find himself pulled back, the other man's hand easily capturing his delicate fingers. He gave a puzzled look, brows furrowing as he regarded the larger man. Claude gave his hand a tug, turning him back around to face the demon fully. Acidic green eyes widened as a gloved hand found its way to his chin, tilting his eyes up to look into narrow golden orbs.

"Please be aware that when I do this, I do it for myself, not the order I was given." The demon said, his gaze hard but honest.

Grell stood wide eyed, feeling the hand leave his chin. The demon lifted his slender hand to his lips, never breaking eye contact as he pressed his warm lips against the reaper's sensitive skin in a way that gave the red head chills. A warm tongue darted out from between the demon's soft lips, just barely grazing his skin before the man pulled away and allowed his hand to drop.

"I enjoyed our evening together, much more than I expected to. I would very much like to do this again sometime, perhaps on your next day off. But for now, I bid you good night, Ms. Sutcliff." The demon said in a silky voice that brought a bright red blush to the smaller man's cheeks.

With that, Claude turned away from the reaper and retreated down the hallway, turning the corner at the end and leaving the red head's sight. His face was burning with embarrassment, and the reaper brought his hand up to cover his heart as it fluttered wildly inside his chest.

He had thought that the demon had meant to kiss him...

Turning around, the red headed reaper opened his bedroom door, closing it behind him. He pulled his long hair lose of the ponytail it had been kept in, allowing the silky red locks to cascade down his back once again. Moving to his dresser, the reaper pulled out a soft pair of pajamas, slipping out of his dress to put them on.

Blowing out the candles, darkness flooded the room, the light of the moon creating shadows and illuminating the fixtures of the room. Smiling to himself, the reaper threw himself onto his bed, snuggling under the warm covers. His heart was still pounding, cheeks still burning brightly with a blush as a soft giggle escaped his lips. But that didn't matter right now, and he knew it.

Because somewhere along the night he had forgotten himself, and enjoyed the evening too much. He had let his guard down, and allowed himself to appreciate the company of a man that would likely laugh in his face in the end. With a frown, Grell spent most of the night trying to figure out why he was so disappointed that the demon had not taken full advantage of him and kissed his.

AN: Well, this turned out better than expected :) I hope you all enjoyed the bit of fluff/romance that we're FINALLY getting to :p So much more to come next chapter as more questions get answered and more information comes to light. And of course, there will be more Claude/Grell next chapter as well ;) Read and review!


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Wow, so glad that everyone enjoyed the last chapters fluff/romance! I know it was super-fun to write :) Claude is a boss as seduction, and it looks like Grell is starting to give in a bit~! Because honestly, who could resist something like that? I can only hope that this chapter will go over just as well! Hope you all enjoy! Read and review, lovelies!

* * *

Dreamscape

Chapter Six: Wine

* * *

"Grell, how long did you think you could keep something like this from us? How could you let yourself get entrapped in an agreement with a child and a demon?" William questioned, an aura of misfortune and malice surrounding him as his hard green eyes bore into Grell's own.

The red head looked away, fingers toying with his hair nervously. William had called him into his office immediately when he had arrived at work, stating that he knew _exactly _where Grell had been stealing away to at night. And, to no one's surprise, he was not happy about it.

"What do you want me to say, William? I'm handling it!" Grell snapped, displeased that is actions were in question yet again. "Its not like its any of your business what I do outside of work, anyways!"

The raven haired man frowned, adjusting his glasses slightly as he took a deep breath to calm his temper. Crossing his arms, Grell waited for his boss to continue, though he knew that nothing William could tell him would change the situation at all.

"I don't want you to get hurt in the end. That child keeps drawing you back, but we all know what happens to a contracted soul once a demon completes its objective." William said carefully, trying to make Grell see reason. "The best thing to do in a situation like this is to exterminate the pests. Though the child's souls would likely be damned, too tainted by the work of that demon to ever get into heaven, at least he would have a chance."

The red head wanted to scream, because as much as William tried he simply didn't understand. Without Claude, Alois would have nothing. He was better off contracted than left all alone in this world. Alone, he wouldn't survive. But with the demon, at least he had the opportunity to be happy before his young life was cut short.

"Just let me deal with it, William, and mind your own business!" Grell snapped, getting out of the chair he had been sitting in as he turned to leave. "You've never gave a damn about me unless I'm messing up an assignment or causing you overtime, so don't pretend to be worried now."

With that, he left, not turning back to see William's reaction to his words. It didn't really matter anyways. He had spent the better part of ninety years pining after his coworker turned boss, and the other man had never even considered him a friend. Moving on to his Sebas-chan had been an easy choice. The demon would hopefully be easier to win over than his stoic boss had been.

Moving down the hallway, Grell left behind the feeling of anger as thoughts of a certain demonic butler flooded his mind. It wasn't like he had too much to do today anyways... 'Maybe if I'm lucky I'll be able to see my lovely Sebas-chan covered in beautiful red blood~! A visit would at least improve my mood!'

* * *

The soft ping of a pebble bouncing off a window of the Phantomhive mansion alerted Grell that he had hit his mark once again, the stone falling to the ground. Sebastian had answered the door when he knocked, and promptly had closed it in his face only a moment later.

"Sebas~tian! Sebby, come out here! I need to talk to you~!" Grell called out as he tossed another stone, hearing it connect with the window yet again.

Movement in the shadows of the room caught his eye, and the reaper smiled excitedly. He had been pursuing the demon for nearly an hour now, after all. To his surprise though, the maid opened the window a moment later, and gunshots filled the air.

The red head quickly jumped behind a tree nearby. Although bullets could not kill a reaper, it would be very suspicious if he got shot and managed to live. As the firing stopped, the flamboyant reaper peaked out from behind the tree, a frown on his face.

"What the hell is wrong with you? I'm just here to visit my Sebas-chan!" Grell snarled, bright green eyes meeting her own, unhindered by her own bulky glasses.

The woman gave a small frown, her eyes narrowing as she took in his features and a look of confusion on her face.

"M-Mister Sebastian advised me to fire on you sir, and to then inform you that he will meet you out here in just a moment. But you look so familiar, though I know I'd remember such long, brightly colored hair..." The girl said, trailing off with a perplexed look on her dainty features.

Grell was torn between annoyance and amusement. He had forgotten that the servants of the Phantomhive household wouldn't recognize him. After all, the last time he had been among the mansion for an extended period of time he had been disguised as Madam Red's butler.

"Meyrin, thank you for your help. You may get back to work now, and do try to be careful." A voice said from Grell's right, smooth and deep.

Green eyes darted over to see his handsome Sebas-chan approaching, the red eyed demon smiling his pleasant, fake smile at the young maid. The girl nodded furiously, a bright pink blush on her cheeks as she pulled the window closed and took her leave.

Grell giggled and launched himself at the demon, determined to catch the other man off guard. To his disappointment, the demon easily evaded him, stepping to the side and allowing the red headed reaper to fall to the ground with a loud thud.

"Ow~! How ungentlemanly! So cruel, so cold, just how I _like _my men!" The red head giggled as he picked himself up off the ground.

"And what is it that brings you to my master's estate today, Mr. Sutcliff?" Sebastian said in an exasperated voice, rubbing his temples lightly as he regarded the reaper.

Grell walked over to the other man, much slower this time, and encircled his arms around the demon's own, snuggling into him affectionately. Sebastian tensed at the movement, but made no moves to pull away, much to the flamboyant man's pleasure.

"Oh, I've got another question for you, Seb~ast~ian!" The reapaer moaned seductively, batting his pretty green eyes at the dark haired demon. "You'll humor me, right?"

Sebastian sighed, nodding.

"As long as it is a reasonable question, and will cause you to leave this place quickly, I find no reason I cannot accommodate the request." The demon allowed, pulling his arm away from Grell's firm grip.

"Oh, yes~!" The red head giggled, clenching his gloved hands an excitement at how helpful the other man was being. "Have you ever contracted with a child named Luka Macken?"

Sebastian seemed to be deep in thought, mentally shifting threw the names he had contracted with through the years. Finally, he shook his head.

"I do not recall such a name, and Ciel is the first child I've ever contracted with. My other meals were much older, though not nearly as cultivated." The raven haired demon replied. "May I make the assumption that you're asking this regarding the Trancy manor?"

Grell nodded, a frown marring his delicate features.

"Yes, I found out that Alois's younger brother contracted with a demon as well, supposedly you. Because of that, you're their target for revenge." The red head revealed.

The demon nodded, his face having gone blank. His eyes flickered towards the forest behind Grell, and a sly look overcame him. Moving forward, the demon took hold of the other man's arm and pulled him forward until they were only inches apart.

"I see. And tell me, Grell, have you fallen for that disgusting spider demon yet? Surely he holds no candle to me, right?" Sebastian questioned, giving the smaller man a charming smile as he tilted the reaper's head upwards.

Grell's mouth fell open slightly at the intimate move, a bright red blush staining his cheeks as his bright green eyes grew large. Suddenly, a firm hand grasps his waist, and the red head immediately knew it wasn't one of Sebastian's.

'No wonder he was acting so forward!' The reaper thought to himself, a frown on his face. As the hand pulled, turning him around, he was met with an intimidating set of golden eyes, narrow and hard as they held his gaze.

"Mr. Faustus, what a surprise. Grell and I were just talking about you." Sebastian said, amusement apparent in his voice.

The spider demon ignored the comment, his eyes never leaving Grell's own.

"Shouldn't you be working, Ms. Sutcliff? For a woman of your stature to keep such," His eyes flickered over to Sebastian, before turning back to the red head. "..unbecoming company is a tragedy."

Grell noted that the demon's gloved hand was still on his waist, the man's thumb stroking his hip softly. His blush deepened, and he wasn't sure if he was angry with the man for interrupting his time with Sebastian or pleased that he was being treated as someone precious.

"I had a fight with William, so I'm taking a break. Why are you here?" The reaper questioned, trying to back away from the other man only to find his hip caught in a vice-like grip.

"I have business to discuss with Mr. Michaelis. You should return to work, lest you get overtime again. I shall see you back at the mansion tonight." Claude said firmly, leaving no room for discussion as he removed his hands from the reaper's lithe body.

Grell opened his mouth to protest, but the complaint died on his lips as golden eyes lit up with more emotion than he had ever seen the demon hold. Claude's eyes flashed red, silently challenging the reaper to protest, and the red head felt his heart flutter in his chest.

"I'll see you later, then." Grell finally replied, turning away from the pair of demon and walking away.

He tried to ignore the satisfied look on Claude's face, and the knowing look on Sebastian's own. He didn't have time to explain how he was only listening to the golden eyed demon because he was right, not because he cared what the other man said. After all, he didn't want overtime tonight...

* * *

Grell's stomach was doing flips, and it made no sense what-so-ever.

It was rare for the red headed reaper to feel the ache of anxiety. It was a feeling he had only experienced with William since he became a reaper, and only when he had been particularly naughty... Like the Jack the Ripper incident. 'But there is just no reason for a damned demon to make me feel like this!' The red head whined in his head.

He wasn't some damned child, after all, and he didn't have to answer to a man he had no commitment to! He reached up to open the door to the mansion, only to have the door open for him just as the tips of his fingers grazed the metal knob. The very demon that had impacted him in such an outrageous way was presented to him moments later, face as stoic and handsome as ever as his golden eyes met Grell's own.

"Welcome home, Ms. Sutcliff." The demon said as he stepped aside, allowing the red head to enter. "After you get yourself changed, I would like to speak to you in private. Perhaps over dinner, if you haven't eaten yet."

"Fine, but have some wine handy. Its been a long day, and I'm in no mood to deal with you or anyone else without something to calm my nerves." The reaper snapped, crossing his arms over his chest as he entered the mansion, not bothering to turn around and see the dark haired man's reaction.

"Of course, Ms. Sutcliff." The demon replied simply, but Grell could hear the slight irritation in the other man's voice. "I shall see you in the dining room then in twenty minutes."

Grell hesitated and gave a nod, climbing the stairs without another word. The reaper made his way to his room, heart pounding rapidly, and closed the door behind him quickly. He could feel the demon's cold eyes on him, even as he sat alone in his bedroom. It was disturbing. It was enthralling.

Stripping out of his work clothes, the reaper pulled out a long sleeved black shirt, and a pair of tan slacks. Although Alois had told him time and time again that it was not necessary for him to dress for dinner, but the reaper felt awkward sitting at a formal dinner table in his bed clothes. Slipping the clothes on, the reaper ran his brush though his long red locks for a few minutes before heading down for dinner.

A few minutes later Grell entered the dining room, a look of surprise on his face. A large vase was centered in the middle of the table, fulled with bright red roses. Across from it was a covered tray, as well as a pair of wine glasses. A moment later, Claude emerged from the kitchen carrying a bottle of red wine.

"You're a few minutes early. I apologize, I was just finishing up setting the table." The demon said as he placed the wine bottle on the table. "Please, sit. I'll pour you a glass of wine."

Grell nodded and sat down in his chair, the aroma of the roses pleasing. He watched silently as the demon popped the cork out of the wine bottle, filling up both glasses.

"I've made watercress soup tonight, as well as a grilled chicken salad." The demon said as he lifted the lid, revealing the food to the red head.

The smell of the meal assaulted Grell's sense of smell, and he could feel himself practically salivate at the sight before him. Turning his attention to Claude, who had sat himself in the seat next to Grell's, the reaper gave a toothy smile.

"It smells great. Just what I needed after a long day! And I see you'll be joining me for wine tonight?" The reaper questioned in a teasing voice as he picked up his silverware, beginning to eat.

"Of course. Demon may not enjoy human food, but alcohol is a pleasure we often indulge in." Claude explained, picking up his glass and sipping the bitter red liquid.

The pair fell into a comfortable silence as Grell ate, occasionally pausing to sip from his wine glass. He could feel the other man watching him, those probing golden eyes investigating every movement he made. Ignoring the demon's gaze, he finished his meal, pushing the plate away with a satisfied look on his face.

"Claude~, that was absolutely delicious! I may just keep you around if you keep spoiling me like this!" The reaper giggled, taking a long sip of wine.

Claude finished off his glass, setting it down on the table before refilling it. Grell gulped his down as well, the alcohol starting to relax him a bit, and he offered his glass for more wine as well. The demon filled it, then spoke.

"Tell me of your day." The demon said simply, his face void of emotion.

Grell gave a large smile. For so long, he had dreamed of coming home to someone who loved him, someone who would care enough to wonder how his day had been. Of course, Claude didn't love him, but did it really matter as long as he was happy? 'This may not be love, but this is still nice... This may be the closest I ever get.'

"Well as soon as I got to work this morning, my boss William called me into his office. He knows that I'm staying here, and he's a bit... upset." The reaper revealed, a slight frown on his face. "But of course I put him in his place on that all~! Though it certainly did damper my mood some!"

"And then you paid Sebastian Michaelis a visit. You know by now that he's the demon Alois has centered his wraith against, correct? And yet you still associate with him." Claude said with distaste, taking a drink of his wine.

Grell felt that anxious feeling come over him again, but did his best to push it away. He silently debated revealing to Claude what he had learned from Sebastian earlier that day, but he decided against it. Demon's were liars, that was a fact. Even if Sebastian had been ordered not to lie to Ciel, that would not stop him from lying to the reaper. Until he spoke to Hannah, there was no point in bringing the subject up.

"I've known Sebas-chan for a while now~! He's so handsome, and so much fun to play with too you know! It always makes me feel better to visit him..." Grell said with a dreamy smile and a blush on his face, images of the red eyed butler floating around in his head.

"Perhaps in time you'll choose to come here instead." Claude said, reaching out to brush a few strands of hair from the reaper's face. "I can offer you just as much as he can and more, after all."

The red head shivered as the tips of the demon's fingers lightly brushed his skin, and he took a long drink from his glass, feeling the warmth of the alcohol flood his body. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, and he peered at the demon from beneath his long lashes.

"Is that so?" The reaper questioned with a wry smile on his face.

"Of course." The demon said, smirking. "Am I not offering you more right in this moment than he has ever offered you? I pursue you, I serve you, I listen to you, and I treat you as a maiden."

"You do those out of obligation to your order though... I want something real, real for both people and not just me." The red head whispered, averting his eyes as he gulped down the rest of his wine.

Grell reached over and refilled his wine glass once again, the buzz from the alcohol staining his cheeks with a dark blush. His movements were sloppy, and he had to pay extra attention to be sure to keep all the wine in his glass. He had never been one to drink often, and he was feeling the affects of the wine quite well.

A strong hand shot out and gripped his chin as he set the wine bottle back down, and he turned to look at the demon. Claude smirked, leaning in so his face was only inches from Grell's own. The reaper could smell the wine on his breath.

"I quite enjoy my evenings with you, Ms. Sutcliff. I do not love you, but... I have never found anyone I'd willingly tolerate before. I want to keep your company, perhaps even after Alois has passed. Nothing I've offered you had been a lie, nor an obligation." Claude said as he leaned in farther, brushing his lips against Grell's. "Let me convince you that my words are true."

Golden eyes bore into the red head's and Grell could do nothing but nod as the hand on his chin moved to cup his face. How could he resist this temptation? Did he even want to anymore? 'This wasn't supposed to happen.' The voice in his head whispered, reminding him. 'You weren't supposed to give in.'

Firm lips pressed against his own, and all thoughts were erased from his mind. Grell's hands wandered up to the other man's shoulders, and he shivered as a tongue brushed against his lips. He opened his mouth, allowing the deepen the kiss. A long tongue eagerly thrust inside, mapping out every crevasse as it plundered his mouth.

All too soon, the demon broke away, his pale cheeks tinted red, though Grell wasn't sure if it was from the wine or the kiss. The other man's mouth trailed down his chin and to his neck, nipping and sucking on the sensitive flesh it came across. Grell gave a low moan, allowing his head to fall back.

"You taste delicious, Ms. Sutcliff." Claude mumbled against the reaper's neck before gently biting the skin.

Grell's fingers tangled in the demon's hair as he trembled, the pleasurable sensations and the alcohol pushing him to go farther.

"No need to be so formal in such an intimate setting, don't you agree?" The reaper giggled and gasped, feeling the other man's tongue lapping at his neck seductively.

The golden eyed demon lifted his head, pressing his lips up against the reaper's again quickly before pulling away again, a look of amusement on his face. Grell let his hands fall from the man's messy hair, the tip of his finger tracing Claude's soft lips.

"Very well, Grell then. Perhaps we should finish our wine, and retire to my room for the night?" The demon questioned, plucking up Grell's wine glass from the table and handing it to the reaper with a slight smile tilting his lips.

Grell accepted the half full glass, watching as the demon recovered his own. Looking down into the dark red liquid, the red headed reaper couldn't help but think that he was letting himself down in some way, not wanting to lose the silent game he had been playing with Alois. But it wasn't a loss unless he was in love, right?

Downing the last bit of his wine, Grell felt his heart pounding in his ears, throbbing in his chest. Placing the glass on the table once again, he stood, wobbling slightly, and sat himself down in the demon's lap with a smile. Claude finished off his drink and his arms wrapped around the reaper's waist, pulling the red head's slender body against his own.

"Carry me~!" He giggled, pulling Claude down into a deep kiss.

The other man didn't hesitate, scooping the red head up into his arms and standing, stumbling slightly. Grell reached up to hook his arms around the demon's neck, giggling as he placed soft kisses against the exposed flesh. As Claude carried him up the stairs, Grell had no more second thoughts.

* * *

AN: And there you have it, chapter six of Dreamscape! I've brought you some thanksgiving fluff to nom on, and it looks like it's starting to FINALLY get to the romance! Next chapter will be a lemon, reader beware. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I can't wait to see your reactions to it! Please, read and review~! It keeps me ALIVE!


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Hello once again my loves! Slowly but surely my overall review count is dwindling down, but hopefully this chapter will help remedy that some! Either way, I'll just do my best while writing this fic, and that's good enough for me to be pleased : )

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Dreamscape

Chapter Seven: Claim

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Grell's head was spinning as he lay on the soft bed in Claude's room, his nude body exposed to the cool air. Shudders and trembles ran through his body as the demon's hot mouth trailed along his sensitive skin, nipping and suckling on his neck and shoulder.

His back arched as a moan escaped his mouth, only to be cut short as firm lips roughly pressed against his own, plundering his willing mouth. The taste of fine wine still lingered from earlier, and it was entrancing. The reaper's hands slipped into Claude's soft hair, gripping the locks firmly as he lost himself into the kiss.

The demon lowered his body, pressing himself fully against the length of Grell's slender frame, and the red head swallowed hard as he felt the other man's throbbing erection pressing against his upper thigh. The kiss broke a moment later, and golden eyes stared into his own.

"Your body molds perfectly to my own, like you were meant to be mine." The dark haired man growled, his eyes flashing bright red.

Grell blushed and grinned, not trying to suppress the tremble that rocked his body at the look he was given. A look that screamed that the other man intended to devour him. It was dominant and predatory, very much demonic to the core. As the heat of the alcohol warmed his body with even more lust and desire, he couldn't help but want to surrender himself to the temptation the other man offered.

The reaper allowed his hands to trail along the demon's muscled back, eyes half lidded with lust. The demon above him panted and shifted against him, their erections rubbing together deliciously. His nails dug into Claude's back as he pressed back against the dark haired demon, gasping and moaning. The demon suddenly pulled away, kneeling between the red head's slender legs, and Grell couldn't help but let out a whine.

"Don't you dare leave me like this!" He snapped, sending the other man a furious glare.

The demon gave a humored smirk, a hint of his teeth showing.

"Like I could." He reached forward, grasping the reaper's chin. "I want you, and as far as I am concerned, you are mine. Even if you flutter out of my grasp in the morning hours, dear butterfly, I will never allow another to touch you in the ways that I will tonight."

Grell's heart pounded wildly at the possessive statement, knowing exactly what it meant. Tonight was no longer simply about sex, at least, not entirely. Tonight, the demon intended to make a claim on him that would last longer than he could imagine. And even worse, Grell wasn't entirely sure he wanted to resist.

Two fingers brushed against his lips, and the reaper took the hint, taking the digits into his mouth eagerly. His head bobbed and his tongue swirled around the other man's fingers, the reaper's green eyes never leaving the heated gaze of his new lover.

Grell nearly laughed when the dark haired man pulled his fingers from the reaper's mouth a moment later, the teasing testing his patience a bit too much. The grin on his face quickly vanished though as a wet finger pressed inside of him, narrow golden eyes watching him intently.

Although Grell was no virgin, it had been a while since he had allowed anyone the honor of touching him so intimately, and he whined slightly at the sudden intrusion. The larger man seemed to catch the flicker of pain in his features because a moment later a pair of lips crashed against his own, the demon's tongue enticing his own to come out and play. The distraction proved to work well enough, and before he knew it the other man hit his prostate, causing the red head to arch and moan into the kiss.

Claude separated from him, a pleased look on his face.

"You react so lewdly to my touch, Grell. Dare I think that you, who denied my advances so adamantly, are enjoying this?" Claude questioned, his glasses glinting in the moonlit bedroom.

Before Grell could answer, a second finger joined the first and a yelp of pain escaped him. The demon chuckled in response, and the red head barely resisted the urge to kick the other male in the side of the head. The digits inside of him thrust and scissored, stretching his entrance. The alcohol from earlier made his head feel fuzzy with pleasure, and he began to ride the demon's fingers earnestly.

A large hand slithered up his torso, pinching his nipple and rolling it. Waves of pleasure rocked the red head's body as his eyes slid closed, enjoying the sensations the other man was causing him. He could hear Claude give a soft growl, and then the finger's pulled out of his body, making the reaper give a desperate whine as his eyes snapped open.

The sight above him was enough for his breath to catch in his throat, the blush on his cheeks darkening as lust enveloped him.

Claude's pale cheeks were tinted with red, and his mouth hung open slightly as he panted, golden eyes glazed over with lust and desire. The dark haired man's body shimmered with a light coat of sweat, and Grell couldn't help but think that he had never seen anyone want him as much as the demon did right now. It was exhilarating, and it made his heart flutter.

The demon's hands slipped under Grell's slender legs, lifting them to rest on his shoulders as he positioned himself at the reaper's entrance. Without hesitation, Claude pressed forward, not stopping until he was buried in the other man's body completely. Tears welled in the reaper's eyes as his body stretched to accommodate the demon's large member, the sudden intrusion causing shocks of pain to travel up the red head's spine.

Reaching up, Grell grasped Claude by his raven hair and yanked him forward, smashing their lips together in a furious kiss. His tongue swept along the demon's mouth, eager to distract himself from the pain. He gently sucked on the demon's bottom lip sensually, then bit down on it lightly with his sharp teeth, lapping at the blood he received.

Through slitted eyes, he caught the demon's eyes flashing red as a deep moan escaped him. The sight was unbearably sexy, and Grell couldn't wait any longer.

"What the hell are you waiting for? Fuck me already!" The red head snapped, moving against the demon and earning a growl. "Or maybe you're just not man enough, and I should find someone else~!" Grell said with a teasing smile.

The normally stoic butler's eyes widened in anger, and a snarl escaped his lips as he pulled out of the smaller man before snapping his hips forward roughly, burying himself deep inside the red headed man. Grell let out a strangled cry as the demon set a quick rhythm, his hands gripping the sheets underneath him as Claude thrust into his body again and again.

The demon suddenly shifted, moving forward slightly before thrusting again, and Grell's cried out as pleasure assaulted his senses. Ignoring the demon's chuckle, the reaper stared at his lover with a dazed look, back arching as his prostate was struck over and over again. The demon smirked and leaned down next to the reaper's ear, whispering to him in a sensual voice.

"You're so tight, you fit me perfectly, Miss Grell." Claude said, his tongue flicking against the red head's sensitive ear. "Just for me... Tell me that you're mine."

Grell's hard member throbbed at the demand, and a firm hand wrapped around the length, giving it a few strokes as the demon continued to thrust. The reaper's stomach began to coil with heat, and he nodded eagerly at the demon, letting out heated gasps and moans as he was brought closer and closer to his climax.

"I-I'm yours!" The red head cried out, letting go of the bed in favor of digging his red-painted nails into the larger man's back.

"Again!" Claude snarled, his eyes darting wildly along the reaper's exposed skin before finally fixating on the man's collarbone.

"I'm y-yours! I-I'm... YOURS!" Grell moaned again and again, the pleasure building up until it was almost too much.

The red head felt a warm hand lay gently on his collarbone, but paid it no mind as he felt the demon begin to lose rhythm, Grell's heated cries finally getting to the other man. Grunts and moans sounded as the two moved against each other, instinct taking over as their pleasure finally claimed them.

A fiery heat danced along his skin as the red head's orgasm hit, and he cried out as the pleasure and pain created an erotic mixture that rocked his body, his member covering Claude's hand and chest in his sticky release. Warmth filled him a moment later as the demon's body went rigid, and a breathy moan escaped the larger man.

The burn of the demon's fingers moving against his collarbone made him grit his teeth, and his green eyes flickered up to watch the demon complete the seal on his skin, a drowsy look on his handsome features. Finally, the larger man slipped his flaccid member out of the reaper and rolled to the side, drawing the red head up against his body as sleep claimed them both.

* * *

The sound of chirping birds in the morning light slowly pulled Grell from his slumber, and his fluttered open to take in his surroundings. He shifted on the bed, rolling onto his back. Claude was no where to be seen, but the reaper had expected as much. The morning would've been awkward enough, and the demon was under obligation to serve Alois until the day he lost his soul. It would be no good if the demon abandoned the child at the smallest provocation.

The reaper untangled himself from the sheets of the demon's bed, sitting up. He didn't have to work, and silently wondered how he would explain leaving Claude's room in the clothes he had been wearing the night before. Readjusting the glasses he had accidentally slept in, Grell smiled as he spotted a change of clothes sitting across the room on the dresser. Apparently, the dark haired man had taken that into consideration as well.

Crawling out of the bed, Grell stood and made his way across the room, his nude body stiff from the nights activities. He stopped a few feet from the dresser, catching the sight of himself in the mirror above it. His upper body was covered in love bites, but the most prominent mark on his body was etched into his chest.

On his collarbone rested a dark red seal, similar to the one that Alois bore on his tongue. His own was simpler, but it marked him as Claude's just the same, letting any demon who approached him know that any attack on himself would leave them to deal with the spider demon himself.

His finger's reached up to gently brush the marred skin and he winced, his skin tender from the still-fresh seal. He approached the mirror, eyes tracing along the crimson mark. A sudden voice pulled him from his thoughts a moment later,

"Do you regret it?" Claude's voice questioned from behind him.

Grell jumped and spun, surprised by the sudden appearance of the demon. Claude stood in the doorway of the room, his eyes trailing over the reaper's nude body as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He approached silently, and his hands gently guided Grell to turn back around again, facing the mirror.

"I made it red. I thought you might like it better that way." The demon said softly, his fingers gently tracing the seal and making Grell gasp in pain. "The tenderness will fade as the day progresses."

A strong arm slid around his waist, pulling his nude body against the demon's clothed one. The other man's body felt warm against his own, and Grell easily surrendered himself to the embrace.

"I don't regret it. I had just hoped to hold out until the month was over, that's all. It was that damned wine that did me in, you sly devil~!" The reaper giggled, glancing back at the stoic demon behind him who's glasses had glinted, hiding his eyes.

"As I recall, you asked me to bring the wine." The demon said, traces of humor in his voice.

"Taking advantage of a maiden after you've allowed her too much to drink, how dastardly!" Grell announced, squirming in the dark haired man's grip playfully.

He watched the mirror as the demon smirked, leaning down and placing a soft kiss against the side of the reaper's neck. His golden eyes flashed a demonic red color, and Grell was surprised when his own seal began to tingle slightly as a demonic glow lit it was well.

"I am a demon, it is in my nature to use such situations to my advantage." Claude said simply. "But that is not relevant at this point. Alois is at his lesson for the next hour, and I needed to speak with you about something."

Grell gave the taller man a curious look, trying to ignore the way the demon's hands seemed to caress his body with more skill than any previous lover ever had.

"I hope it's nothing regarding Sebastian or work." Grell said with distaste. "I don't care to bring up such things on my day off."

"Nothing like that. I marked you with my seal, and it is only proper that I offer you something in return for that. What is it you want most, Ms. Sutcliff? What can I help you to achieve?" The demon questioned, his voice like a fine silk as it drifted into the red head's ear.

The reaper remained silent for a moment. Of course, it made sense that a demon would stick to his aesthetics, as it wasn't proper to make a claim to someone without offering an exchange. And of all of his desires, one came to mind, one that he had often dreamed of.

"I want a child." The red head announced, his voice firm and unwavering.

He could feel the demon tense behind him, and watched as Claude's eyes met his own in the mirror, giving him a look of interest. With one arm tight around Grell's waist, the demon allowed his free hand to gently brush against the reaper's lower stomach.

"Are you sure that's what you desire? I can make it happen, you know. Your body is no longer human, I can manipulate it, fulfill your wish." Claude offered, a dazzling smile on his face.

"It's all I've ever wanted." Grell whispered, turning to face the demon with tears in his eyes.

Claude offered his hand, and the reaper eagerly accepted the gesture, allowing himself to be led back to bed. The moment felt like a dream, a dream that he never wanted to awaken from. He could only hope that the dark haired demon would make good on his promise.

* * *

It just wasn't fair. It simply wasn't.

Alois had been gloating for at least the last ten minutes, teasing and poking and prodding the reaper in his glory. And if Grell had possessed _any _less patience, the brat would've had his soul reaped about five minutes in. Claude had stood by, amused by the scene for the first few minutes, and then he had excused himself, leaving to prepare dinner.

"So, you're going to stay with us forever, right? Did he mark you? Did you guys kiss yet? I bet you did!" Alois asked as he bounced forward happily, twirling as he approached the reaper and gave him a large smile.

"We'll talk more tonight, and discuss all the juicy details... No matter what, I'm still a reaper, and I enjoy my job quite a bit you know~! And I'm afraid the rest of that is simply none of your business, darling! I'm a lady you know, I never kiss and tell~!" The reaper giggled, patting the blond on the head.

Alois's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"You _did_ kiss didn't you! Was it good? Did you use tongue? Give me the details, or I'll order Claude to tell me!" The boy demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Grell laughed, ready to answer until a knock on the door caught both their attention. Alois called for the intruder to enter, and the reaper's smile turned to a frown as Hannah entered the room. With her she brought a cart of tea, and she carefully avoided the red head's gaze as she served the tea.

'Now that I've become so involved with Claude, I'll have to deal with her soon. She obviously lied about Sebastian's involvement, and she made it clear that she has no intentions of showing loyalty to Claude. So if she doesn't follow Claude, why is she even here?' The red head wondered to himself, eyebrows furrowing. It made no sense... Unless her reasoning was personal.

The maid excused herself from the room, eagerly leaving the pair behind as Grell's eyes followed her movements. He had a feeling that she knew exactly who had contracted Alois's younger brother, Luka. But without proof and only armed with Sebastian's word, it would not be enough to convince either Claude or Alois that she had deceived them. He would have to confront her himself.

AN: OMG, THE FLUFFEH! ...seriously though, this was definitely a fluffy chapter. We got a nice long lemon, Grell is finally going to get the child he's always wanted with Claude's help, and Alois is a terror as usual. A cute terror, but still a terror. As fun as this chapter was though, there are still a few matters to take care of~! I hope that you all enjoyed the chapter, read and review darlings!


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Finally, after making you all wait forever and a day, I've got this chapter finished! Sorry to all those I kept waiting, it certainly wasn't my intent! Thank you all for the reviews from last chapter, the words of encouragement really help! Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the chapter! We finally begin to reach the climax of this fic! Read and review, lovelies!

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Dreamscape

Chapter Eight: Exposed

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The record flickered before his eyes at an amazing speed, one that most would have trouble keeping up with. He was a reaper though, and his inhuman eyes quickly absorbed the information given. He had been searching all night, desperately trying to find the record of someone who had died in the massacre of Alois's town.

It was the only way to know for sure what had happened that night. All records located in the reaper library were unedited, brutal and honest. If he wanted to know what happened the night that Luka Macken died, the cinematic records would tell him the story through the victims eyes. Grell sighed, closing up another book and placing it back on the shelf.

Another useless string of memories.

The next book on the shelf, although located in the correct town, was the wrong death date, and he passed it by. It had been hours, and looking through so many boring records was beginning to feel like a chore. Snatching up the next book Grell carefully opened it, allowing the cinematic records to spill forth, the life force of a young woman names Margret Stret illuminating the room with a soft blue glow.

The red head watched on silently as images flashed before his eyes, scenes playing out to show the life of the woman. He saw her as a child, living in the lap of luxury her parents spoiled her with toy's and candies. The reaper saw her now as a young woman, deeply in love with a wealthy business man and planning a wedding.

Then there was fire. Fire that engulfed the entire town, leaving only death in its wake. Grell tensed, knowing this was one of the records he had been searching for. The middle-aged woman ran down the streets, her elegant dress trailing behind her as she screamed for help. A moment later bright red eyes flashed before her, and the woman fell to the ground. Hannah stepped though the flames, and a blood-curdling scream sounded before the record turned to black.

Closing the book, Grell shook his head, his face oddly neutral. It was obvious that Hannah had lied, and that she had contracted with Luka, taking his life in the end. 'But why is she here now?' Grell wondered to himself, a puzzled look on his face as he slid the book into his vest, hiding it. 'Only Hannah knows, I guess. At least, until I slice into her with my scythe...'

A large smile spread across Grell's face as he envisioned Hannah skewered on his scythe, and he was so distracted by the image that he paid no mind to the set of eyes that followed him the entire time. Creating a portal, the reaper quickly made his way back to the Trancy mansion.

The portal allowed him to appear before the mansion in an instant, and the red head swallowed harshly. He knew what he was about to do would have many consequences, but Grell had never been one to play by the rules. If the Reaper Association found out that he had removed a record from the library without filling out the necessary forms, he'd likely be demoted again.

'Hell, if William finds out, I'll have overtime for a month AND get demoted!' The red head whined in his head as he flung open the mansion door, nearly smacking Claude who jumped gracefully out of the way. The demon gave Grell a look of annoyance, a frown marring his handsome features.

"Just who I was looking for!" The reaper cried out as he latched onto the demon's arm. "Come with me up to my room, I need to show you something~!"

Grell clutched the other man's arm tightly as the demon tried to pull away.

"I cannot accompany you, Ms. Sutcliff. As the butler of the Trancy household, I have many duties. Perhaps I will join you in your bed chambers tonight, when we will not be interrupted." The demon said in a silkily-seductive tone as he pried the red head from his arm.

"I'm not talking about doing that, you pervert! I have something important to show you, now come ON!" Grell snapped as he captured the demon's arm once again, yanking him until he began to follow.

Claude sighed behind him and quickly fell in step behind the smaller man, much to the red head's pleasure. Leading the demon up the stairs, the reaper quickly made his way to his bedroom, shoving the other man inside before closing the door. Ignoring the demon's annoyed look, Grell reached into his vest and pulled out the cinematic record he had taken from the library, presenting it to the other man.

"What is this?" Claude questioned as he accepted the book, reading the name and dates on the cover of the book.

"A cinematic record! Open it up and watch it~!" Grell urged, tapping the cover of the record eagerly.

The dark haired man gave a skeptical look, his face void of emotion as he studied the reaper in silence. Finally, he spoke.

"You can get in quite a bit of trouble for this, are you not worried?" The demon questioned, his fingers toying with the edges of the book.

"Enough of your chatter, you horrid man! I wouldn't have taken the record without a purpose, so stop lecturing me and read the record, or I'll take the bloody thing back!" Grell snapped, ready to snatch the book back and leave the demon to himself.

The demon chuckled as he opened the book, allowing the glowing record to emerge and swirl through the air, flickering before the dark haired man's golden eyes. Grell waited impatiently, rocking back and forth on his heels as he watched the scene before him.

Finally the record ended, and he noted the other man's clenched jaw as his gloved hands closed the record book. Grell carefully took the book out of the demon's hands, closing it up and sliding it into his vest once again. Claude remained silent, his golden eyes turning to a shocking red.

"I-I thought it would be best to show you the truth. That maid is making a fool of you, lying to your face..." Grell said softly, moving forward to cup the demon's face in his hands.

The demon's eyes flickered back to yellow, meeting Grell's own as the taller man leaned down to press his lips against the reaper's. The kiss ended as quickly as it had began, and the red head found himself leaning forward in a unsuccessful attempt to reconnect their lips.

"You did well for bringing this to my attention, I'll handle it from here." Claude said walked past Grell, opening the bedroom door.

The reaper spun and quickly trailed after the other man, easily catching up with him just a moment later. The pair traveled in silence, moving down the hall quickly to Alois's study. With a few soft taps at the door, the demon announced his presence and entered the room.

Alois sat at a small desk, his tutor standing next to him as they glanced up at the intruders.

"Claude, Grell, what the bloody hell are you both doing here? You know I have lessons until two!" The blond snapped as he wiggled out of his seat, standing to face the demon and reaper.

Grell held back a laugh, amused with the entire outrageous situation. Normally, Alois would desperately try to escape his lessons, lying and faking sickness to avoid them whenever possible. Of course the one day that they needed to interrupt one of the blonds lessons would be the one day the child wasn't desperately trying to escape the confines of his study.

"You are excused from your lessons for the day," Claude said as he gave the blond a stern look, silencing any protests before he turned to the tutor with a pleasant smile. "Thank you for coming all the way out here today, but a personal matter has come up and my master must attend to it at once. You will receive full compensation for the days lesson, I assure you."

The older man nodded and quickly took his leave, leaving the three alone. Alois scowled as he marched over to the two, hands on his small hips.

"What is it then? I can't think of anything that would require me to end a lesson so abruptly." The child muttered as he glanced back and forth between the demon and the reaper.

"Ms. Sutcliff has brought some information to my attention regarding your younger brother's death. It is urgent that you see it, as it will impact our contract." The dark haired demon said, gesturing for the red head next to him to give him the cinematic record.

Grell reached inside of his vest and offered the child the record book, the blond accepting it reluctantly. The red head watched as the boy opened the book and the record spilled forth, flashing before the child's eyes as it had his butler's just minutes before.

The room was silent as the memories of the dead woman fluttered by quickly, and the reaper's keen eyes caught the sight of fire, signaling the approach of the end of the record. Beside him, Claude tensed slightly, and Grell knew he had seen the flames as well.

Moments later, the record finished, and the book fell to the floor with a thud that seemed to echo throughout the room. Tears streamed down the blond's face as he stared wide-eyed at his demonic butler. Then his focus turned towards Grell, and the red head was surprised when the child launched himself into the reaper's arms, sobbing and sniffling into his shirt.

"She b-betrayed us, Claude!" Alois sobbed finally, turning to face the demon as he rested his head on the reaper's chest, snuggling close. "She killed him, and then lied to our faces! I'll never forgive her! I'll kill her, I swear I will!" The boy snarled, his cheeks flushed from crying.

Grell watched as the demon crouched down to the blond's eye level, his face lacking emotion even though the reaper could sense the malicious aura surrounding the dark haired man.

"She _has _betrayed us both, you are correct. Under your order, your Highness, I shall exact revenge for not only ourselves, but for your brother as well. This is the moment we have been waiting for, your Highness. Now, what will you have me do?" Claude questioned, a hand reaching out to cup the child's face as his golden eyes stared into the boy's own.

The room was silent, save for a few sniffles from Alois as he nuzzled into the reaper's shirt once again, a few stray tears falling from his eyes. Grell felt almost parental as his thin arms wrapped around the child, pulling him closer to comfort him.

"They all lie." Alois finally whispered, his voice on the verge of hysteria. "Everyone lies to me, like I'm some kind of fool for their amusement. I hate it! I hate people like that! Claude, I order you to kill her! Avenge my brother and myself, and then you can have my soul!" The boy nearly shouted, his hands twisted and tangled in the reaper's clothing as he glanced over his shoulder at the demon.

"Yes, your Highness." Claude replied, eyes glowing red before he stood up at full height and began to walk away.

"I-I want to watch." Alois said suddenly, his voice shaky but firm. "I want to ask her why, and then I want to watch you kill her."

The demon stopped and turned around to regard his young master, golden eyes narrow as they studied the child before him. The red head felt the child quiver, and absentmindedly reached up to stroke the boy's soft blond locks comfortingly. Finally the demon gave a soft smirk.

"I will serve you until your last breath, your Highness. If that is what you wish, that is what you shall have. You will be one hell of a feast, your Highness." Claude said with a low bow, before standing straight up again, gesturing for both Alois and Grell to follow.

Together, group walked out of the room, making their way down the stairs and outside to where Hannah worked in the gardens. Grell, with his fingers entangled with Alois's own, walked with the boy over to the maid, noting that Claude had stopped a few feet away to watch the events unfold.

Hannah looked up from a large group of flowers, her eyes glancing warily at Grell before she gave the blond a charming smile.

"Your Highness, is there something I can do for you?" The lavender haired demon questioned, her eyes soft and kind as they looked at the boy.

"You lied to me. You told me that Sebastian Michaelis contracted with Luka, but it was you all along. You lied to me, to Claude, you made a fool of us. Why?" Alois questioned, his voice shaking with anger as his narrow blue eyes glared daggers at the woman before him.

Grell watched as Hannah's eyes grew large with shock, glancing back to Claude briefly before turning to the child standing before him. Standing up, she gave a sad smile.

"Your brother was unlike any human I had ever met. So young and pure, and so completely devoted to his older brother. I loved him, but I am a demon. The most I could ever do for him was to grant his wish, completing his contract and devouring his soul. But even years later, his soul inside me still longs for you, your Highness. So I lied, so that I could be closer to you, to appease Luka's desperate soul inside my body! But I've learned to love you as well, Jim Macken, just as I once did him. Contract with me, and when I fulfill your wish you can become one with us both! We will be together for eternity, never to be separated again!" The demon cried out as tears welled in her eyes, a tight smile on her lips.

Hannah's slender hands reached for Alois, seeking to draw him close, only to be knocked away by Grell's own, the red head giving the woman a furious glare. He could feel the child shaking, and the boy's hand gripped his own tightly as he fought back tears.

"You're insane." Grell muttered, watching the demon before him carefully.

Hannah's eyes narrowed, and she reached out to strike at the reaper, only to have Claude appear my the reaper's side in the flash of an eye, easily catching her hand. The man's golden eyes were narrow and possessive, and obviously displeased with the situation.

"Do not touch what is mine, Hannah Annafellows. Alois Trancy is contracted to me, and I have marked Grell as my own as well. As for you, you are now the target of my contract." Claude said with a look of disgust, regarding the woman before him as nothing more than filth.

"Claude." Alois said suddenly. "Do it. Kill her."

"Yes, your Highness." Came the dark haired man's reply.

In an instant, Grell swept the blond up into his arms, dashing away from the two demon as Claude moved to attack. He could feel the wave of energy against his back a moment later, and heard the sound of demonic snarls coming from a few yards away. Setting Alois down on the garden path, the two turned to see both Claude and Hannah dodging well-placed kicks and punches, both striking at the other with deadly intent.

Silverware flew and was easily deflected as the fight continued, the dark haired demon kicking the legs out from beneath his enemy, only to have the woman roll out of the way to avoid his strike. A well placed kick to the stomach knocked the wind out of the spider demon, and Grell winced as he imagined the pain his lover must've been feeling.

Hannah whistled suddenly, the sound piercing even in the open garden. Within seconds, Timber, Cantebury, and Thompson stood a few feet away from Hannah, giving both her and Claude a curious look. The lavender haired demon's eyes glowed red, and he immediately addressed the three young men.

"You three will help me eliminate Claude Faustus, and the reaper as well if he gets in the way. Do not harm Alois, though you must not allow him to escape." Hannah quickly ordered, narrowly avoiding another onslaught of attacks.

Grell watched as Claude's quick hands struck out again and again, the demon movements a blur of speed. A few hits landed, and the female let out a grunt of pain. Grell felt a smile tug at him lips, but his happiness was trampled as he watched the demonic triplets leap on Claude, the spider demon greatly outnumbered.

The reaper's hands clenched. 'I don't have my scythe!' He thought to himself frantically, watching as the raven haired demon was knocked to the ground. Spinning to face Alois, Grell spoke.

"Stay here, and keep out of the way!" The red head snapped before he turned on his heels and ran towards the battle.

* * *

AN: Sorry that this is so late guys. Life has been a bitch lately, and I'm super stressed and busy. I also apologize if I haven't talked to some of you as much as I usually do D: I've got two sick kids, one of them in and out of the hospital with a few issues. On top of that, my step brother who is still recovering from a sprained back just fell down a flight of stairs a little bit ago, so I'm writing this all from a hospital T.T This is barely a scratch on the surface of what this past week and a half has been like.

Anyways, enough of my complaints! Review, lovelies!


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